Gold hits record highs as investors scramble for safety in week of bank turmoil March 20, 2023 Gold prices reached record highs in the UK last week as investors scrambled for safety in the wake of Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse and an ensuing banking crisis on both sides of the atlantic.
Bank of England says UK banking sector is “safe and sound” amid Credit Suisse fallout March 19, 2023 The Bank of England moved late on Sunday evening to reassure investors that British banks remain strong despite the global drama in the banking sector, including UBS’ rushed purchase of Credit Suisse. The historic Zurich lender was pulled out of the fire by the Swiss government on Sunday ahead of a bankruptcy which would have [...]
UBS agrees to buy Credit Suisse to avoid “unthinkable” consequences March 19, 2023 THE SWISS government last night brokered a discount $3bn (£2.6bn) deal that will see UBS rescue Credit Suisse from bankruptcy and avoid “irreparable” damage to the global financial system. In an extraordinary press conference last night, the Swiss President said deposit outflows on Friday at Credit Suisse on Friday meant it was “no longer possible [...]
Credit Suisse’s timeline of misfortune March 19, 2023 Credit Suisse is on the verge of being taken over by its Swiss rival UBS having suffered a bruising few years in which the bank has stumbled from one crisis to another. From “tuna bonds” to Greensill, City AM looks back at the series of scandals which have brought the 167-year old lender to the [...]
HSBC won’t ‘smother’ Silicon Valley Bank after rescue deal, says chief March 19, 2023 The boss of HSBC has said the bank will not “smother” the former UK arm of Silicon Valley Bank or overhaul its operations after it swooped in with a £1 rescue deal last week. The UK subsidiary of the California-based start-up lender was snapped up by HSBC just before market open on Monday in a [...]
UBS ‘$1billion’ deal for Credit Suisse to be fast-tracked past shareholders: reports March 19, 2023 UBS’s possible $1bn acquisition of Credit Suisse is being fast tracked to ensure its completion before markets open on Monday morning in a dramatic attempt to preserve financial stability. According to the Financial Times, Swiss authorities are considering using emergency measures to bypass normal takeover rules. It reported that UBS indicated emergency powers would be [...]
Silicon Valley Bank UK paid out £15m in bonuses to top execs just days after HSBC rescue deal March 18, 2023 Silicon Valley Bank’s UK arm handed out over 15 million pounds ($18 million) in bonuses days after its rescue deal this week by HSBC, Sky News reported on Saturday. Payouts to staff including senior executives were signed off by HSBC earlier in the week, the report said, adding that the bonuses would not have been paid this week if SVB UK had [...]
What do Brits think of capitalism? Not much, it seems March 18, 2023 One of the most surprising findings of an international survey conducted on attitudes towards capitalism for the book In Defence of Capitalism is that the British – in the motherland of capitalism – are far more critical of capitalism than might be expected. Only in 12 countries are attitudes towards capitalism more negative than in [...]
Credit Suisse weighs up survival options as 167-year-old bank faces pressure to merge with rival UBS March 18, 2023 Credit Suisse Group began a make-or-break weekend after some rivals grew cautious in their dealings with the bank and regulators urged it to pursue a deal with Swiss rival UBS. Credit Suisse Chief Financial Officer Dixit Joshi and his teams will hold meetings over the weekend to assess strategic scenarios for the bank, people with knowledge of the matter [...]
Banks, bonds, inflation, recession and energy: Five lessons the markets taught us this week March 17, 2023 The third week of March proved to be a rollercoaster for the world’s investors, with a rout on banks and the spectre of inflation, recession and the growing cost of living making their presence felt. These themes may indeed play on in future, so here are the five lessons we’ve learned from the markets this [...]