Hunt for next Natwest chair begins as Howard Davies says he will step down by July 2024 April 25, 2023 The hunt for Natwest’s next chair is underway after Howard Davies told shareholders today he will be stepping down. Speaking at the bank’s AGM in Edinburgh, Davies said he expects a replacement to be found and handover completed by July next year. Noting that nine years was the maximum recommended tenure under the UK corporate [...]
Mark Carney’s climate alliance expands as 23 venture capital funds join net zero group April 25, 2023 Mark Carney’s global alliance of financial firms fighting climate change expanded into the venture capital sector today with the launch of the Venture Climate Alliance (VCA). Consisting of 23 venture capital (VC) firms across the U.S. and Europe, VCA members have committed to supporting a rapid, global transition to net zero or negative carbon emissions [...]
Santander UK profits rise but lender bracing itself for house price fall April 25, 2023 Santander’s UK division was boosted by higher interest rates but the bank remained cautious looking forward, suggesting house prices could fall ten per cent taking them back to 2021 levels. The Spanish bank’s UK business saw its pretax profit climb 11 per cent to £547m as higher interest rates continued to bolster its performance. Santander’s [...]
UBS: Mortgage litigation hits profits but inflows soar after Credit Suisse takeover April 25, 2023 UBS reported significant inflows across the bank in the first quarter as customers sought the bank’s stability but its profit more than halved due to costs from legacy issues dating back 15 years. In the first quarter, UBS saw $28bn of new money in global wealth management, of which $7bn came in the last ten [...]
Time lapse at UBS as CRO Bluhm delays planned photography career April 24, 2023 UBS’ chief risk officer Christian Bluhm postponed plans to focus on his photography today as the bank confirmed he will stay for the “foreseeable future” to handle the acquisition of Credit Suisse. Bluhm, who has been in place since 2016, was planning to handover to Damian Vogel on 1 May. Bluhm had been hoping to [...]
Banks must do more to tackle Post Office cash-based money laundering, warns FCA April 24, 2023 The UK’s financial watchdog “put banks on alert” as it announced a series of measures to step up the fight against money laundering through the Post Office. Tackling financial crime is a key objective for both the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the government. Last month the government announced part two of its Economic Crime [...]
Credit Suisse: Final results reveal impact of crisis as bank haemorrhages over £55bn assets, and counting April 24, 2023 In the quarter in which it was taken over by rival UBS, Credit Suisse reported outflows of CHF61.2bn (£55.3bn) with clients and customers pulling funds as fear over the stability of the ailing lender grew. These “significant” outflows were concentrated in the second half of March, the bank said, and while they have “moderated”, they [...]
SME loans fall by £14bn in last year with more pain on the way April 24, 2023 Outstanding bank loans to small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) in the UK fell by £14bn in the year to March with concerns that this figure could fall further due to March’s banking turmoil and mooted regulatory changes. In the year to March, outstanding bank loans fell to £195bn from £209bn according to Bank of [...]
Standard Chartered, Barclays, Natwest kick off UK bank earnings this week with interest income back in focus April 24, 2023 Profit looks set to increase at the UK’s largest lenders as they line up to report first quarter earnings over the coming two weeks. The FTSE banking giants have seen relative stability over the last few weeks following the extreme volatility in March, but this stability means investors will refocus their attention on other major [...]
HSBC shareholders should not vote for Asia spinoff plan, warns advisory group ISS April 23, 2023 HSBC investors should vote against a resolution by the bank’s biggest shareholder Ping An, shareholder advisory group ISS said. Ping An are calling on HSBC to consider strategic options – including a spinoff of its Asia business. The proposal, over which the bank and the Chinese insurer have been arguing since last November, “lacks detailed rationale”, ISS [...]