Four years after the Libor scandal broke – how many bankers have been found guilty, and how many have been acquitted? July 4, 2016 Four years ago, Bob Diamond sensationally quit as chief executive of Barclays as a scandal over Libor-rigging sent shockwaves through London’s banks. Shortly after, on 6 July 2012, the Serious Fraud Office (known as the SFO) kicked off an investigation into the manipulation of Libor – the “London Interbank Offered Rate”, an interest rate benchmark [...]
Angela Merkel will not drop opposition to breaking EU bank rescue rules as trouble in Italian banking sector continues July 4, 2016 German chancellor Angela Merkel will not back down on opposing the breaking of EU bank rescue rules as the Italian banking crisis continues. When asked about plans to rescue the banking sector, the German finance ministry spokesperson, Martin Jäger, said Germany stands by its position that was declared last week at the EU Council meeting, [...]
Three ex-Barclays bankers found guilty of Libor-rigging July 4, 2016 Three more former bankers have been slapped with guilty verdicts for their roles in Libor manipulation, taking the total number of UK convictions to five. Former traders Jay Merchant, 45, and Alex Pabon, 38, and ex-Libor submitter Jonathan Mathew, 35, all stood trial charged with conspiracy to defraud. The prosecution said that the trio of [...]
US billionaire investor Wilbur Ross picks up £280,000 from the ashes of NBNK July 4, 2016 US billionaire investor Wilbur Ross has picked up £281,000 from the ashes of the failed banking investment vehicle NBNK. In May the board of NBNK, made up of private equity firm WL Ross & Co's senior vice president Stephen Johnson, and Labour life peer and barrister Lord Brennan, voted in May to make the payment to WL Ross & Co [...]
The French PM is already wooing Brexit-battered City firms July 2, 2016 France is already thinking about how to nab the City's best bankers after Britain voted to leave the European Union. Prime Minister Manuel Valls said on Saturday he is thinking about how to re-jig France's tax system to attract international firms which may be thinking of leaving London. Read more: When will Article 50 be triggered? Probably [...]
EU gives thumbs up to government guarantees for Italian bank support scheme June 30, 2016 The European Commission has extended a lifeline to Italy's struggling banks, by granting a guarantee scheme. The scheme will allow Italy to use government guarantees to create a precautionary liquidity support programme for banks in need, although it only applies to institutions which are solvent and will only be valid until the end of the year. According [...]
HSBC won’t be moving its HQ away from London post-Brexit June 30, 2016 HSBC has confirmed for the first time since last week's referendum that the UK vote to quit the European Union will not lead to the bank moving its headquarters from London. Speaking at a conference organised by lobby group The City UK, HSBC's chairman Douglas Flint repeated comments from February this year that the referendum result would not trigger another [...]
Singapore bank UOB suspends London property loans following Brexit vote June 30, 2016 Singaporean bank UOB has become the city state's first lender to suspend loans for London properties citing uncertainty caused by the result of last week's EU referendum. "We will temporarily stop receiving foreign property loan applications for London properties," a UOB spokeswoman said in an email. "As the aftermath of the UK referendum is still [...]
Deutsche Bank and Santander fail US banking stress tests June 30, 2016 Santander and Deutsche Bank have failed the US Federal Reserve's stress tests, in another blow to the global banking sector. The central bank's comprehensive capital analysis and review programme, which measures how well lenders would perform in a range of different scenarios, found the banks lacked necessary internal controls and were worried about their risk management [...]
Goldman Sachs not eyeing up Frankfurt post-Brexit vote June 29, 2016 Banking giant Goldman Sachs has today refuted claims that the wheels are in motion to move staff to Frankfurt, following the UK's decision last week to leave the EU. There has been a significant amount of speculation recently that Brexit could result in an exodus of bankers from London, with big names moving chunks of [...]