‘Milestone in returning NatWest to full private ownership’ as government sells £1.26bn worth of shares May 22, 2023 The government has sold £1.26bn worth of its shares in NatWest as it continues to sell-off its stake in the bank it bailed out after the 2008 financial crisis. The shares, sold at 268.4p each, represent 4.95 per cent of NatWest’s share capital and takes it stake below 40 per cent. The Economic Secretary to [...]
FTSE 100 close: HSBC and Lloyds lead gains on London index as Turkish lira slides after inconclusive election May 15, 2023 London’s FTSE 100 kicked off a new week in decent style today, led higher by Britain’s largest banks clocking strong gains. The capital’s premier index advanced 0.30 per cent to 7,777.69 points, while the domestically-focused mid-cap FTSE 250 index, which is more aligned with the health of the UK economy, climbed 0.37 per cent to [...]
FTSE 100 close: ASOS shares nosedive 22 per cent after posting dim results May 10, 2023 London’s FTSE 100 slipped in the City today as online fashion retailer ASOS was pummelled after a dim set of results. The capital’s premier index shed 0.29 per cent to close at 7,741.32 points, while the domestically-focused mid-cap FTSE 250 index, which is more aligned with the health of the UK economy, lost 0.15 per [...]
FTSE 100 close: Barclays and NatWest rise on London index as stalling house prices knock builders May 9, 2023 London’s FTSE 100 kick started a fresh week down today, with Britain’s biggest home builders sliding after new figures showed house price growth has stalled. The capital’s premier index nudged 0.18 per cent lower to 7,764.10 points, while the domestically-focused mid-cap FTSE 250 index, which is more aligned with the health of the UK economy, [...]
FTSE 100 close: Wall Street sea of red offsets HSBC and Persimmon gains in London May 2, 2023 London’s FTSE 100 was dragged deep into the red in the final hours of trading today after Wall Street was pushed lower by investors sweating over more possible banking collapses. The capital’s premier index initially climbed in the morning before eventually closing 1.23 per cent lower at 7,774.12 points, while the domestically-focused mid-cap FTSE 250 [...]
Natwest profits soar but customers withdraw £1bn as cost of living and tax bills bite April 28, 2023 Natwest has beaten profit expectations during the first three months of this year. Natwest Group, which includes Royal Bank of Scotland and Ulster Bank, recorded a pretax profit of £1.8bn in the three months ending 31 March. The total comes in ahead of analysts’ expectations of £1.6bn for the quarter and ahead of the £1.2bn during [...]
Hunt for next Natwest chair begins as Howard Davies says he will step down by July 2024 April 25, 2023 The hunt for Natwest’s next chair is underway after Howard Davies told shareholders today he will be stepping down. Speaking at the bank’s AGM in Edinburgh, Davies said he expects a replacement to be found and handover completed by July next year. Noting that nine years was the maximum recommended tenure under the UK corporate [...]
Standard Chartered, Barclays, Natwest kick off UK bank earnings this week with interest income back in focus April 24, 2023 Profit looks set to increase at the UK’s largest lenders as they line up to report first quarter earnings over the coming two weeks. The FTSE banking giants have seen relative stability over the last few weeks following the extreme volatility in March, but this stability means investors will refocus their attention on other major [...]
CBI exodus: Which firms have quit or suspended their relationship with the lobby group? April 21, 2023 A slew of top firms have quit or suspended engagement with the CBI today after the lobby group was rocked by new allegations of sexual abuse.
FCA will ‘keep its eyes’ on banks’ Q1 results for evidence of savings rate profiteering April 20, 2023 Savers are facing a rising “loyalty penalty” from high street banks, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has warned. Customers banking with the UK’s big name lenders are likely to earn less competitive interest rates on their savings over time, while new savers are given more attractive offers, the City watchdog told MPs today. “Harm” from [...]