London’s biggest banks will struggle to reach sustained profitability due to bad debts and regulatory fines, IMF and KPMG warn April 14, 2016 A toxic mix of bad debts and regulatory fines will see some of London’s biggest banks struggle to reach sustained profitability, according to two major new reports from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and KPMG. The hard-hitting reports have prompted city analysts to predict looming job cuts in the Square Mile and Canary Wharf, while [...]
Now Goldman Sachs has told staff not to campaign on EU referendum, although the bank itself has previously donated to the “in” campaign April 13, 2016 Goldman Sachs has become the latest big name to tell staff to play their cards close to their chest when it comes to the EU referendum, it was revealed today. In a memo sent to 6,000 staff, most of whom are based in London, the bank advised that it had chosen not to register with the Electoral [...]
The S&P 500 and Dow Jones indices have hit a new high for 2016 as investors pile into banking stocks: JP Morgan, Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, Citigroup all climb April 13, 2016 US stocks have risen to highs for the year in New York, pushed on by investors piling into banking shares. Both the S&P 500 and the the Dow Jones Industrial Average reached fresh highs for 2016. The S&P 500 was up 0.7 per cent in early morning trading at 2,075.21 in early trading, while the Dow Jones Industrial [...]
One-third of Europe’s banks are struggling to make money as IMF calls for urgent reforms to their business models April 13, 2016 European banks are set to be hit by a profitability crisis, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), as stock market volatility, negative interest rates and low growth have shattered the financial services industry’s ability to make money. One-third of all Europe’s lenders – calculated by their share of total assets – are facing “significant challenges to [...]
What to expect from the big US bank results this week – JP Morgan, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Citigroup, Morgan Stanley, and Goldman Sachs April 13, 2016 Investors will get their first look this week at just how bad 2016 is expected to be for some of the worlds biggest banks. JP Morgan Chase has already released results for its first quarter, managing to beat analyst expectations, though profits still bombed by seven per cent. A Reuters poll revealed that analysts are [...]
JP Morgan’s profit has dipped though it has still managed to beat analyst expectations in the first quarter April 13, 2016 JP Morgan has surprised investors with its latest results coming in ahead of expectations. Overall profits came in at $1.35 a per share, on revenue of $24.1bn (£16.92bn). Analysts were expecting earnings per share of $1.24 on revenue of $23.80bn, according to a Bloomberg poll. This time last year JP Morgan, the largest bank in [...]
Italy’s €5bn bailout fund for ailing banks has failed to prevent further share sell offs April 12, 2016 Italy’s most sound financial institutions have poured cash into a €5bn (£4bn) bailout fund for the country's vulnerable lenders in an attempt to calm investor fears over the stability of the beleaguered sector. Shares in two of Italy’s most troubled banks bounced today however, with Monte dei Paschi di Siene and Banco Popolare shares climbing by 10 [...]
FCA bans RBS Libor submitter from working in financial services April 12, 2016 The FCA has banned former Royal Bank of Scotland staffer and Libor submitter Paul White from working in regulated financial services again, saying it would have fined him £250,000 "were it not for White's serious financial hardship". White, who worked as a Japanese Yen (JPY) and Swiss Franc (CHF) Libor submitter, is "not a fit and proper [...]
Standard Chartered is selling off $4.4bn worth of Asian assets, after announcing a $1.5bn loss in February April 11, 2016 Standard Chartered is mulling over the sale of at least $4.4bn (£3.1bn) of assets in Asia, it was revealed earlier today. The bulk of the assets potentially being sold are understood to relate to $1.4bn in stressed loans made to Indian firms, but the bank is also believed to be looking to offload some other [...]
Libor trial: Barclays trader thought compliance team knew of rate setting emails, court hears April 11, 2016 One of the former Barclays traders standing trial over conspiracy to manipulate the US dollar Libor rate says he thought the bank's compliance department had access to emails between traders and rate setters, a court heard today. Defence lawyers for Stylianos Contogoulas told the court: "These messages were not transmitted with a nod and a wink." The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has alleged that [...]