** Shares of Commonwealth Bank of Australia CBA.AX rise as much as 5.3% to A$178.59, highest since Nov 6, 2025
** Extends gains into second day; surged 6.8% on Wednesday after posting record first-half cash earnings of A$5.45 billion ($3.89 billion)
** About 2.6 million shares change hands, 1.5 times the 30-day average
** CBA shares gained 11.7% so far over the past two sessions, recovers losses from Nov 11 plunge on weak Q1 results
** Currently Australia's largest listed firm by market capitalization
** Peer ANZ ANZ.AX up as much as 9.1% to record high after posting profit boost
($1 = 1.4021 Australian dollars)
(Reporting by Nichiket Sunil in Bengaluru)
((Nichiket.Sunil@thomsonreuters.com))