Monzo faces steep valuation drop in coronavirus funding round May 15, 2020 UK challenger bank Monzo is reportedly raising a fresh round of cash from investors at a 40 per cent discount to its previous fundraising. The fintech is close to sealing a deal that will value it at around £1.25bn, compared to a valuation of more than £2bn at its previous funding round in June, according [...]
Bank of England ‘not contemplating’ negative interest rates, says governor Andrew Bailey May 14, 2020 Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey has said Threadneedle Street is not considering cutting interest rates to below zero. The governor said that it would be unwise to rule anything out, “particularly in these circumstances,” in an online question and answer session with the Financial Times. Yet he said: “It is not something we are [...]
Fed chair Jerome Powell warns the US faces extended period” of weak growth May 13, 2020 US Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell today warned that the US faces an “extended period” of weak growth and stagnant incomes, and pledged to continue to intervene in the economy, and issued a call for additional fiscal spending. “It will take some time to get back to where we were,” Powell said. “There is a [...]
Starling and Funding Circle to provide £300m in small business loans May 13, 2020 Starling Bank and Funding Circle today said they have teamed up to provide £300m in loans to small firms under the coronavirus business interruption loan scheme (CBILS). Starling will lend through Funding Circle alongside other institutional investors, granting access to funding for more than 4,000 small businesses across the UK. Both fintech firms have been [...]
UK banks lend £15bn through coronavirus loan schemes May 12, 2020 The chancellor Rishi Sunak today said the UK banking and finance industry has provided almost £15bn to almost 304,000 businesses through three government-backed coronavirus loan schemes. In the week since the bounce back loan scheme (BBLS) launched, £8.4bn has been approved to 268,173 businesses – an average of 38,000 loans a day. Lenders have provided [...]
Lloyds says it has provided £4bn support to businesses during coronavirus crisis May 12, 2020 Lloyds Banking Group today said it has provided more than £4bn support to businesses during the coronavirus crisis. Britain’s major banks were heavily criticised for slow lending, bureaucracy and offering disadvantageous terms to customers following the coronavirus lockdown. Lloyds today said it accounted for approximately 28 per cent of lending under the government bounce back [...]
Bank of England must weigh up negative interest rates, says deputy governor May 12, 2020 Bank of England deputy governor Ben Broadbent has raised the possibility of negative interest rates in the UK, but said the BoE would have to think hard about the challenges they pose. Asked about negative rates on CNBC, Broadbent said it was “a question that’s been thought about on and off since the financial crisis [...]
The City View podcast, from City A.M., with Nigel Vaz, CEO of Publicis Sapient May 12, 2020 In this episode Christian is joined by Nigel Vaz, CEO of the digital transformation giant, Publicis Sapient. Subscribe to The City View Podcast: Apple / Google / Spotify / RSS Nigel has 20,000 employees across the globe in 53 offices, so he’s confronting changes to the world of work just like every other company. But his [...]
Exclusive: EU accused of ‘politicising’ City of London in Brexit trade talks May 11, 2020 EU negotiators have been accused of politicising the UK’s financial services sector in Brexit trade talks, after suggestions the bloc could shut the City of London out of its markets if the UK does not budge on other areas during negotiations. A senior EU official told City A.M. that Brussels will only grant the British [...]
Colombian billionaire Jaime Gilinski beefs up Metro Bank stake May 10, 2020 Colombian tycoon Jaime Gilinski has tightened his grip on Metro Bank after ramping up his stake in the troubled lender. Gilinski, formerly the largest investor in TSB’s Spanish owner Sabadell, has increased his holding to nine per cent, the Sunday Times reported. In December the mogul, who holds his stake through British Virgin Islands-based Spaldy [...]