HSBC unveils record annual profits and fresh buyback but hurt by $3bn writedown on China bank holding February 21, 2024 HSBC has posted record annual profits on the back of higher interest rates and announced a new $2bn share buyback, while its earnings in the final quarter of 2023 were hit by $3bn in charges from its stake in a Chinese bank.
‘Debanking’ driven more by cost and reputation than tackling financial crime, MPs find February 21, 2024 A group of MPs has accused banks of closing customers' accounts mainly due to cost and reputation, rather than clamping down on financial crime, amid a gulf between "debanking" and anti-fraud enforcement.
Why hasn’t the UK signed more trade deals? February 21, 2024 As Kemi Badenoch is dragged into a new political row over the status of trade talks with Canada, Jessica Frank-Keyes asks whether the UK's trade strategy is really working.
‘Tax sandwich’ on offer despite Chancellor’s promise of March cuts February 21, 2024 Lower interest rate expectations are likely to increase the Chancellor's headroom from £13bn in the Autumn Statement to £23bn this spring, according to the Resolution Foundation.
Take down of Lockbit won’t stop the hackers, warn security experts February 21, 2024 Cybersecurity experts have warned that hackers could swiftly bounce back from a UK-led operation to take down ransomware group Lockbit.
Crypto and AI are opposites that attract February 21, 2024 Last week Open AI introduced Sora - their text-to-video model - that creates realistic videos from a simple prompt. Open AI CEO, Sam Altman, also expressed his desire to raise an eye-watering $7 trillion, or 3.5x the current total crypto market cap, to fuel chip design and manufacturing to cater for increasing adoption of artificial intelligence (AI).
Build baby build: Bakerloo Line extension vital to connect south London February 21, 2024 The geology of South London once made building tunnels there more expensive. That’s no longer an excuse. It’s time to correct a historical injustice.
The Debate: Would citizens’ assemblies improve our democracy? February 21, 2024 City A.M.’s weekly feature takes the fiercest water-cooler debates and pits two candidates head to head before delivering The Judge’s ultimate verdict. This week: Should the UK introduce citizens’ assemblies? Yes: In Ireland, citizens’ assemblies helped identify a new consensus point for abortion rights The 24-hour-long ‘moment’ we just experienced around citizens’ assemblies has been [...]
FTSE 100: What’s moving markets today? February 21, 2024 Asian shares follow Wall Street's decline, HSBC's full-year profit soars by 78%, Walmart hits a record high; investors await the Fed minutes and tech darling Nvidia’s earnings report for market direction.
Walmart shares hit all-time high on solid holiday quarter sales February 21, 2024 Walmart shares closed at a record high and led the Dow Industrials after forecasting fiscal 2025 sales above Wall Street expectations and raising its annual dividend by 9%.
