SYDNEY, April 29 (Reuters) - Macquarie Group , Australia's top investment bank, reported a 3.2 percent fall in second-half net profit that slightly topped expectations and said it expected an improved result this year.
Macquarie, which warned in February that its full-year profits may miss market expectations, reported a net profit of A$553 million ($601.3 million) in the second half versus A$571 million reported a year ago.
That compared with Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S average estimate of A$541 million.
Macquarie's earnings announcement follows sharp earnings declines for bigger global rivals such as Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley which were also roiled by falling trading revenue. ($1 = 0.920 Australian Dollars) (Reporting by Michael Smith; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Ed Davies)