PEP talk: City minister urges FCA to review bank account closures after Farage claims July 5, 2023 Andrew Griffith has called on the financial regulator to ensure bank accounts of prominent public figures – PEPs – are not closed due to fears about political exposure. The City minister tweeted a letter to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) calling on the body to speed up its investigation into politically exposed persons (PEPs) account [...]
Natwest calls for greater commercial incentives to boost open banking take-up July 5, 2023 Natwest has called for a “step change” in the regulation of open banking as the sector moves towards the next stage of its life. Citing research from consultancy firm Oxera, Natwest argued there should be greater commercial incentives for expanding the reach of open banking. Claire Melling, head of bank of APIs at Natwest, said: [...]
Savings rates: Big banks to meet regulator this week after ‘blatant profiteering’ claims July 4, 2023 Banks will meet with the regulator this week to discuss the savings rates on offer as pressure grows on the UK’s largest lenders to avoid so-called ‘profiteering’. Heads of the largest UK banks – including Lloyds, NatWest, Barclays and HSBC – will meet with the Financial Conduct Authority on Thursday, according to people familiar with [...]
HSBC, Barclays, Lloyds and NatWest under fire for ‘measly’ savings rates… again July 3, 2023 Banks are in the firing line for low savings rates once again after the big four lenders received another letter from the influential Treasury Committee. Writing to the UK heads of the big four banks, Harriet Baldwin – chair of the Treasury Committee – said the Committee was “concerned that banks’ savings rates remain too [...]
FTSE 100 close: Banks regain ground amid interest rate concerns as Vodafone slumps June 26, 2023 London’s FTSE 100 was dragged into the red today, driven by Britain’s largest banks struggling amid concerns about how much higher UK interest rates will go and Vodafone tumbling. The capital’s premier index fell 0.11 per cent to 7,453.59 points, while the domestically-focused mid-cap FTSE 250 index, which is more aligned with the health of [...]
Hunt and big banks vow to ease mortgage pain with repossessions grace period June 23, 2023 Mortgage holders will get a 12-month grace period before banks begin repossessions on their homes, Jeremy Hunt has announced, after a crunch meeting with lenders at No11. The Chancellor said ministers were “particularly worried” about people falling behind on payments or having to switch deals at the end of a fixed rate mortgage. He announced [...]
NatWest, Lloyds, HSBC, Barclays and Santander leaders meet Jeremy Hunt in ‘productive’ mortgage crisis talks June 23, 2023 Bank bosses held a “productive” meeting with Chancellor Jeremy Hunt as the rates increase worsens the mortgage crisis. Natwest chief executive Alison Rose, speaking to reporters as she left Downing Street, said lenders were “doing everything we can” and were “very keen” to help customers. Lloyds Banking Group boss Charlie Nunn described the meeting as [...]
Credit fears send bank shares lower after Bank of England lifts rates by 50bps June 22, 2023 Shares in the UK’s biggest banks today fell after the Bank of England raised interest rates by 50 basis points, heaping more pain onto borrowers. The Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee reverted to a larger rate hike after inflation remained stuck at 8.7 per cent last month. It was the 13th rate hike in a row [...]
UK banks to ramp up data sharing in dirty money crackdown June 22, 2023 British banks are gearing up to share more data with their peers on suspected serious economic crime as part of wider efforts to stem dirty money flows into the country from Russia and elsewhere, four sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters. More than half a dozen banks are in advanced talks with British [...]
Sadiq Khan to address ‘cost of doing business’ crisis at summit with Uber and Natwest June 20, 2023 Sadiq Khan is set to address the “cost of doing business crisis” at a crunch summit with firms including Uber, Natwest and KPMG. The mayor of London will welcome more than 200 CEOs to his annual City Hall business reception at the Crystal in east London today. He is expected to tell firms the “cost-of-doing-business [...]