City watchdog boss reveals it won’t lighten up on banks after Brexit, as it publishes new consultation to better protect at-risk consumers in ever-changing financial market October 26, 2016 The boss of the City watchdog revealed today he would not back the slackening of banking red tape post-Brexit, as the regulator launched a new consultation to hone its work going forward. When asked if he would support a relaxation of regulation following Brexit to make the UK more competitive, Andrew Bailey, Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) [...]
Mortgage approvals fell 15 per cent in September October 26, 2016 The number of mortgages approved by high street lenders fell 15 per cent in the year to September, figures published today showed. The British Bankers' Association said the number of mortgages given approval hit 71,738 in September – up from 69,499 in August. But the figure was down on the 74,252 six-month average, and three per cent lower in [...]
UK market shows signs of lagging behind for Santander October 26, 2016 Santander has reported something of a mixed bag of results this morning, with growth flattening out on a number of measurements and its UK market showing signs of struggling under the weight of new taxes. The figures Overall profits at Banco Santander were €1.7bn (£1.5bn) for the third quarter of 2016, up one per cent on the same [...]
Leaked audio: Theresa May feared banks would leave the UK after Brexit October 26, 2016 Theresa May warned bankers before the referendum that she feared businesses would leave the UK if it voted to leave the European Union. A recording of a speech the then-home secretary gave to Goldman Sachs in May has been published by the Guardian, revealing she had numerous concerns about the impact that leaving the EU would [...]
Metro Bank eyes profits, as statutory losses shrink for third quarter October 26, 2016 Metro Bank is now a stone's throw from turning a quarterly accounting profit, but the boss of the challenger is more pleased about the bank's customer growth. The figures The up-and-coming lender announced statutory losses of £0.4m for the three months to September, a significant improvement on losses of £5.9m in the quarter before and £10.7m [...]
Challenger bank CYBG confirms Williams & Glyn takeover talks October 26, 2016 Challenger bank CYBG today confirmed that it has engaged in talks with Royal Bank of Scotland over the possibility of buying Williams & Glyn. RBS was instructed to sell the business as part of its £45bn state bailout deal, and was set a deadline of the end of 2017 – a date the bank warned it [...]
Clydesdale tables bid for RBS’ Williams & Glyn outfit October 25, 2016 Clydesdale has put in a bid to snap up Royal Bank of Scotland's Williams & Glyn outfit. RBS has been told to divest of its interest in the brand and its 300-strong branch network by the end of 2017 to comply with the terms of its £45bn state bailout deal, but there have been several concerns, including [...]
Bob Diamond’s Atlas Mara hit by currency swings October 25, 2016 Foreign exchange swings have wiped millions from the reported profits of Atlas Mara during the first nine months of the year alone, the company announced today. The figures The financial services company, which was co-founded by Bob Diamond and is focused on banking in Africa, reported in its unaudited results for the year to September that profit before tax [...]
Government to ditch £15.7bn worth of Bradford and Bingley mortgage assets October 25, 2016 The government confirmed today it has kicked off the process of selling £15.7bn worth of Bradford and Bingley mortgage assets. The sale, which will be conducted by UK Asset Resolution Limited (UKAR), will allow Bradford and Bingley to repay money it owes to the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, which will, in turn, repay a corresponding loan to the Treasury. [...]
Hammond says he will prioritise financial services in the upcoming Brexit talks October 25, 2016 Philip Hammond has again moved to reassure the City that the government will prioritise financial services in the upcoming Brexit discussions with the European Union. The chancellor told MPs in the Commons this morning that he understood the City's need to have continued access to the single market and to hire skilled people to work in [...]