Macquarie appealed for shareholder patience ahead of what it predicts will be a bumper pay day when global dealmaking activity picks up, and it can offload its portfolio of maturing renewable energy and infrastructure assets to the highest bidder.

The $88 billion asset manager disappointed the sharemarket on Friday with a first-half result that was hurt by the effect of a higher Australian dollar and reduced volatility in commodities markets, where it has historically earned huge profits trading contracts that lock in the price of oil and gas.