Milestones for ending Libor will be hit by coronavirus, says City watchdog March 25, 2020 The coronavirus pandemic will make it harder for some firms to meet some of the milestones for transitioning away from Libor, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said. Libor, or the London Interbank Offered Rate, is an interest rate benchmark used in contracts worth around £355 trillion globally. The rate was widely discredited after banks were [...]
Government and Bank of England urge banks to keep lending despite coronavirus uncertainty March 25, 2020 British banks must continue to provide loans during the coronavirus pandemic to ensure that previously viable companies do not fail due to the crisis, the government and Bank of England said. In a joint letter to the chief executives of major banks, Chancellor Rishi Sunak, Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey and the interim chief [...]
Credit Suisse cuts ex-boss Thiam’s bonus in wake of spying scandal March 25, 2020 The spying scandal that rocked Credit Suisse cost former chief executive Tidjane Thiam part of his bonus in 2019, with his overall compensation falling 15 per cent to 10.7 million Swiss francs (£9.2m). Thiam quit in February after a bitter boardroom battle with chairman Urs Rohner in the wake of the scandal over surveillance of [...]
Lloyds suspends 780 planned job cuts amid coronavirus uncertainty March 24, 2020 Banking giant Lloyds is suspending 780 job cuts across its branches amid surging demand for loans and uncertainty over how many of its staff may need to self-isolate. The cuts were originally announced in February as part of a cost-cutting drive by Lloyds, which is working to shrink its branch network in response to declining [...]
Swedbank money laundering report uncovers €37bn ‘high risk’ payments March 24, 2020 Swedbank carried out €37bn (£34bn) of transactions with a high risk of money laundering over a five-year period, according to a damning report into the beleaguered Swedish lender’s compliance controls. The report, published by law firm Clifford Chance, showed that Swedbank actively pursued high-risk individuals in the Batlic region, some of whom had been rejected [...]
How coronavirus could change our working lives (and the climate) March 24, 2020 | City Talk financial markets. The epicentre of the shock is clearly being felt in travel related industries, as people cancel or put holiday plans on hold, and businesses cancel conferences and move to remote working. Remote working tools widely available As an investor looking at climate change trends, these changes in working practices are interesting in an [...]
Santander reviews dividend and slashes executive pay amid coronavirus crisis March 24, 2020 Santander has postponed its interim dividend and slashed pay for senior management due to the coronavirus pandemic, with chair and chief executive of the Spanish bank donating half their pay to a medical equipment fund. The eurozone’s largest lender usually pays out an interim dividend in November, but will now consolidate the payment with the [...]
Contactless spending limit increased in response to coronavirus March 24, 2020 The spending limit for contactless card payments will be increased next month in response to the coronavirus outbreak. Shoppers will be able to spend £45 using contactless payments, up from £30, from 1 April. The measure was already being considered by the industry but its introduction has been brought forward due to the coronavirus pandemic [...]
Coronavirus: Brokerage fee automation is a must in the current downturn March 24, 2020 Investment banks are embroiled in an unforeseen cost crisis when trading over the counter (OTC) markets, driven by a surge in swaps, interest rates, oil and currency derivative volumes. This month, some of the world’s largest interdealer brokers, who negotiate OTC trades between the big banks, have seen record trading volumes as sudden changes in [...]
GBP / EUR update March 20, 2020 | City Talk As everywhere across the world, everything in the UK has been accelerating at pace and the pound has paid the price. Whilst not always at the bottom of the pile, sterling has been struggling and hit a 35-year low against the US dollar. Measures to address all aspects of the crisis were well-received by investors [...]