29 October 2012 6:41am

Macquarie Group's lending and leasing division, Corporate and Asset Finance, lost ground in the six months to September. Income was down four per cent on the previous corresponding period and the net profit contribution was down six per cent.

Corporate and Asset Finance, which is the second biggest contributor to group earnings, has been a mainstay for Macquarie since the global financial crisis.

Macquarie Group's chief executive, Nicholas Moore, said the weaker result was due to a couple of one-off items. The aircraft leasing business "ran down a little" and there was a high...