Barclays braces for pressure from activist investor and climate campaigners February 9, 2020 Barclays is facing intense scrutiny on two fronts as the bank prepares to release its annual results on Thursday, as the bank tries to shake off an activist investor and address campaigners’ concerns over its financing of fossil fuels. Barclays came under pressure last year from activist investor Edward Bramson to reduce the size of [...]
The financial services sector will be key as we chart a new course on the world stage February 8, 2020 The UK’s financial services sector has charted a pragmatic course since the EU Referendum, and recent figures show that it continues to flourish. Indeed, research from Innovate Finance revealed how investment in the UK’s fintech sector reached a record high of nearly $5bn in 2019, with industry growth far outstripping that of the US, China, [...]
Credit Suisse chief executive Tidjane Thiam ousted in wake of spying scandal February 7, 2020 Credit Suisse chief executive Tidjane Thiam has stepped down from his role following a bitter power struggle which was sparked by a lurid spying scandal that erupted in September. Thiam’s departure – the board said it had “unanimously accepted” his resignation today – came despite powerful investors only this week backing the chief executive and [...]
Activist investor Elliott builds up $2.5bn stake in Softbank February 6, 2020 Activist hedge fund Elliott Management has reportedly built a $2.5bn (£1.93bn) stake in Softbank. The activist investor is discussing ways it could boost the value of the Japanese conglomerate, according to Reuters reports. One of the issues reportedly being discussed is how SoftBank can improve the decision-making process at its Vision Fund and the possibility [...]
Swiss investment adviser calls on Credit Suisse chairman to quit over spying scandal February 6, 2020 The head of a prominent Swiss investment adviser has called on Credit Suisse chairman Urs Rohner to step down, as a boardroom battle sparked by the bank spying on executives escalates. Rohner has been locked in a power struggle with chief executive Tidjane Thiam since the revelation in September that the Swiss lender had hired [...]
Nationwide to refund customers £900,000 for overdraft text failures February 6, 2020 Nationwide will repay £900,000 to customers after it failed to correctly warn them that they would be charged for entering an unarranged overdraft. The move follows an investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which ruled that the building society fell foul of rules stating customers with personal current accounts must receive a text [...]
$65bn Ponzi scheme king Bernie Madoff is dying, and wants to leave prison early February 6, 2020 Ponzi scheme king Bernie Madoff has said he is dying of kidney failure and has fewer than 18 months to live, and is seeking to end his 150-year prison sentence. Madoff’s lawyer said the 81-year-old is confined to a wheelchair, often requires oxygen, and suffers from cardiovascular disease, hypertension, insomnia and other chronic and serious [...]
Deutsche Bank adds investment giant Capital Group as major shareholder February 6, 2020 Deutsche Bank has welcomed Capital Group as a major shareholder after the Los Angeles-based investment giant has bought a 3.1 per cent stake in the German bank. The investment, disclosed in a regulatory filing, makes Capital — which managed $1.8 trillion— one of Deutsche’s largest shareholders. It also marks the first major new shareholder in [...]
HSBC will not appoint new boss until after strategy shake-up February 6, 2020 HSBC will not name a permanent chief executive when it unveils a major strategic overhaul later this month, despite investor expectations that a new boss would be in place before the plan is announced. Noel Quinn, who was appointed interim chief executive of the bank six months ago, is preparing to announce the strategic shake-up [...]
ING profit tumbles as bad loans and regulatory costs weigh February 6, 2020 ING has reported a significant decline in net profit following a “challenging” end to the year for the Netherlands’ largest bank. The lender reported a 29 per cent drop in year-on-year net profit, which fell to €1.2bn (£1bn) amid a sharp increase in bad loans during the fourth quarter, due in part to a fraud [...]