07 May 2003 12:00am

The bank's rate of growth in housing loans picked up, but St George is still losing market share to big banks (which are growing more or less in line with system) and non bank providers.

The bank's home loan book increased by 6.2 per cent to $38.5 billion at March 2003, which compares with growth of 3.6 per cent in the half year to September 2002.

System growth for the half year was 8.5 per cent, and ANZ Bank, by comparison, recorded growth in housing lending in the March 2003 half of 8.7 per cent.

Reviving the bank's rate of growth in home lending is the...