Standard Chartered profits surge as loan-loss provisions fall sharply August 3, 2021 Standard Chartered posted a better-than-expected 57 per cent jump in first-half pre-tax profits as it followed fellow banking giants in releasing a wave of capital set aside in anticipation of a surge in Covid-related customer defaults. Pre-tax profit for Standard Chartered, which has a strong presence in Asia, Africa and the Middle East, rose to [...]
First-half profits double at HSBC as bank reinstates dividend August 2, 2021 Banking behemoth HSBC appears to have recovered from the ravages of Covid-19, with first-half profits more than doubling on last year. The Asia-focussed bank recorded pre-tax profits of $10.8bn for the first six months of the year, some $6.5bn ahead of last year’s equivalent. The bank said all of its regions were profitable, with HSBC’s [...]
HSBC reopens all branches and offices in England from today July 19, 2021 HSBC said this morning it has reopened all of its bank branches and offices in England today as the government lifts the remainder of Covid-19 restrictions. HSBC will also increase its building capacity to around 50 per cent of staff over the next few months. “I know many colleagues will be hugely excited to get [...]
UK banks bolster debt collection teams ahead of first Covid loan repayments July 6, 2021 The UK’s leading banks are bolstering their debt collection teams as the first repayments of emergency Covid loans fall due. Britain’s four largest banks have hired over 750 workers in their debt collection units in an effort to manage a wave of potential defaults. NatWest has taken on 150 extra staff to handle chasing Covid [...]
UK banks’ profits slashed by more than half June 28, 2021 Big UK banks’ profits have slid by more than half over the last year, according to a ranking of the world’s largest lenders published today. UK lenders included in The Banker’s top 1,000 World Banks 2021 experienced a 53 per cent drop in profits. Losses were attributed to the severe damage the pandemic has inflicted [...]
City Moves: Who’s switching jobs in the Square Mile this week? June 23, 2021 City A.M.‘s Millie Turner provides a roundup of the most important hires and job moves across the City, every Wednesday afternoon. Email citymoves@cityam.com to be featured. Barclays Corporate Banking appoints new head of real estate Barclays has appointed a new head of real estate for corporate banking this week, following the retirement of the former-lead. Jason Constable, [...]
Hong Kong races ahead of London and New York in bid to get bankers back in the office June 21, 2021 Hong Kong races ahead of London and New York in bid to get bankers back in the office
HSBC to sell French retail bank to Cerberus-backed My Money Group June 18, 2021 HSBC has agreed to sell its French retail banking arm to My Money Group, a company backed by private equity firm Cerberus. The transaction has been agreed, wrapping up an 18 month effort by HSBC to shed the struggling business as it shifts its investment focus to Asia. My Money Group on Friday announced the [...]
Exclusive: Meet the former UBS and JPMorgan heavyweights shaking up private banking May 28, 2021 As the economy is slowly switching into recovery gear, activity in the City and beyond is starting to pick up again. That is also the case for Vestrata, a relatively new fintech player that is taking the wealth management and private banking space by storm by bring machine learning and automated risk metrics into the [...]
Hong Kong HSBC and Citibank bankers threatened with prison if they deal with billionaire Jimmy Lai’s accounts May 27, 2021 Hong Kong HSBC and Citibank branches have been sent letters by the city’s security chief over billionaire media tycoon Jimmy Lai’s accounts – threatening up to seven years in prison, according to Reuters. The media moguls’ assets, including his stake in publisher Next Digital and local bank accounts, have come under fire in recent weeks [...]