Atom Bank poised to appoint Citi for potential sale to Spanish bank January 14, 2019 Digital lender Atom Bank is in talks with advisers over a potential instruction that could lead to its takeover by Spanish banking behemoth BBVA. According to Sky News, the Durham-based bank is in discussions with Citi about a role advising the board of the business on its future options. Last year Atom Bank raised nearly [...]
Government considers ban on credit card gambling in bid to tackle addiction January 12, 2019 The government is considering a ban on the use of credit cards for gambling as part of a wider crackdown aimed at tackling betting addiction. The culture secretary, Jeremy Wright, has called on retail banks and bookmakers to meet to discuss the issue of people betting with money they do not have. The statement comes [...]
Cityfibre secures £1.12bn debt package to fund UK full-fibre rollout December 18, 2018 Fibre network provider Cityfibre has secured a £1.12bn debt package from seven major financial institutions to help fund its rollout of full-fibre broadband across the UK. Proceeds from the infrastructure debt package will be used to fund the first part of Cityfibre’s £2.5bn plan to bring full-fibre to five million homes, the company said today. [...]
Major UK banks pass ‘worst case scenario’ no-deal Brexit stress tests November 28, 2018 All of the UK’s major banks passed a beefed-up stress test as the Bank of England heralded the resilience of the UK financial system, it was revealed today. The seven banks – Nationwide, Santander UK, HSBC, Standard Chartered, Lloyds, Barclays, and RBS – had three and half times the capital ratio than before the global [...]
Santander chair on shortlist to lead new government-backed audit review October 22, 2018 The chair of Santander UK has been shortlisted to lead a new, government-backed review into the future of Britain’s audit sector, following a series of scandals. Baroness Vadera, a former investment banker and key ally of Gordon Brown, whom she served as a minister, was named by the Times as a candidate to lead the [...]
Cenkos boss steps down after profits vanish October 9, 2018 Stockbroker Cenkos Securities surprised the City this morning after announcing its chief executive is to step down in the wake of tumbling profits. Boss Anthony Hotson will leave his post at the end of the month, putting an end to a 12-month reign which was dampened last month when Cenkos halved its dividends and posted [...]
Banco Santander issues warning on impact of Brexit uncertainty October 1, 2018 Spanish lender Banco Santander has warned that the uncertainty surrounding the UK's exit from the EU is likely to have an adverse impact on the bank's operations. In a filing to the US Securities and Exchange Commission, the bank said that the lack of clarity on the Brexit deal for financial services and the status of [...]
Tory civil war deepens as Boris Johnson lays into ‘deranged’ Chequers plan September 30, 2018 Boris Johnson poured salt on the wounds of Tory Party divisions this morning, branding Theresa May’s Brexit blueprint as “entirely preposterous” and “deranged”. In comments that are likely to fuel further speculation about his leadership ambitions, Johnson widened the rift between himself and the Prime Minister by saying: “Unlike the Prime Minister, I campaigned for [...]
Boss of £775m Royal Bank of Scotland competition payout confirms Santander UK is in running September 27, 2018 The head of a scheme to pay out £775m from Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) to boost banking sector competition today confirmed that Santander UK and other large lenders are in the running for multi-million-pound award, in spite of criticisms from rival banks. The scheme, designed by the Treasury but run independently by Banking [...]
Banco Santander appoints UBS’ Orcel as new chief executive September 25, 2018 Spain's largest bank today announced UBS' investment banking head Andrea Orcel would takeover as its chief executive from Jose Antonio Alvarez in early 2019. Alvarez will move to become the vice-chairman of Banco Santander, and the executive chairman of its Spanish division. Santander chairman Ana Botin said Orcel had been working with the bank [...]