Regulators should measure ‘burden’ of decisions after legislative overhaul, industry says July 5, 2023 Finance groups have called for regulators to report on a new range of metrics to ensure they are meeting their statutory obligations. After the Financial Services and Markets Bill passed into law last week, regulators will have hugely increased responsibility for adapting and amending onshored EU regulations. As part of the Bill, regulators will have [...]
Headcount at six largest UK banks ticks up for first time since pandemic July 5, 2023 The number of employees at the six largest UK banks increased slightly last year, the first increase since the pandemic. According to statistics in the Banker’s Top 1,000 World Banks report, the six largest UK lenders – HSBC, Barclays, Lloyds, Standard Chartered, Natwest and Nationwide – increased their headcount by 0.6 per cent last year. [...]
MPs to probe if SMEs can get cash they need – or if the government should step in July 3, 2023 The Treasury Committee has launched a new inquiry into the problems small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face in accessing financing. Over the next couple of months the cross-party group of MPs will explore issues in the industry and how regulation and government can respond. Harriett Baldwin, chair of the Committee said: “Small businesses are the [...]
Lack of available finance hampering SMEs – and things aren’t getting better anytime soon June 29, 2023 Small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) are struggling to access funding as rising rates force banks to put up the costs of lending. According to YouGov data collected for AIM-listed Manx Financial Group, 40 per cent of SMEs had to stop or pause an area of their business due to a lack of funding over the [...]
Jeremy Hunt to sign ‘milestone’ financial services agreement with EU June 27, 2023 Chancellor Jeremy Hunt will today sign a long-awaited deal with the European Union on improving regulatory cooperation for financial services, in a move that Hunt said will boost the City as a “global financial services hub”. Hunt and EU financial services commissioner Mairead McGuinness will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the European Commission [...]
Banks ditch sustainability as economic headwinds slows progress June 13, 2023 SUSTAINABILITY is falling down the list of priorities for many UK banks, after a new study found the number of banks stating sustainability was a key part of their business strategy had plummeted by 40 per cent in a year. Only 60 per cent of banking leaders in the UK say sustainability is an important [...]
UBS completes Credit Suisse takeover while imposing ‘red lines’ on its ex bankers June 12, 2023 UBS confirmed the acquisition of Credit Suisse on Monday as reports suggest Credit Suisse bankers will face tight restrictions on their activity. In an open letter published in the NZZ newspaper, UBS confirmed that “we have finalised the legal takeover of Credit Suisse.” Chief executive Sergio Ermotti and chair Colm Kelleher said “this is the [...]
UBS agrees £8bn loss protection deal paving way for completion of Credit Suisse tie-up June 9, 2023 UBS has agreed a loss protection deal with Swiss authorities worth CHF9bn (£8bn), paving the way for the merger of Switzerland’s largest banks next week. Under the arrangement announced today, UBS will bear the first CHF5bn of potential losses on a defined portion of Credit Suisse’s assets. The Swiss government will then cover the next [...]
Lifeline for Amigo? Shares in subprime lender rocket on potential investment from shareholder June 9, 2023 Shares in Amigo surged after it agreed an exclusivity agreement with shareholder and financier Michael Fleming, raising the possibility of a debt investment in the subprime lender. Exclusivity agreements mean borrowers can not obtain funds from any other source. Fleming’s period of exclusivity expires on 6 September this year. Its shares were trading over 200 [...]
SMEs are ready to ramp up investment despite concern over wider economy, new research finds June 8, 2023 Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are increasingly optimistic about their own future, despite concerns around the wider economy. According to Opinium data collected for Paragon Bank, 45 per cent of SMEs expect cashflow to improve over the next three months. Over the course of a year this figure jumps to 55 per cent. Over a [...]