Standard Chartered eyes recovery in China as profits tumble 12 per cent April 29, 2020 The coronavirus crisis has pushed Standard Chartered’s pre-tax profits down 12 per cent, but the lender is eyeing signs of recovery in China. However, the lender pointed to “encouraging early signs” of recovery in China. Investors welcomed the optimism with Standard Chartered’s London-listed shares up 3.6 per cent. “We expect a gradual recovery from the [...]
Martin Gilbert: Coronavirus ‘multiple times worse’ than Black Monday for City April 29, 2020 Veteran asset manager Martin Gilbert has warned the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic will be “the most dramatic we’ve seen since the 1930s” as he warned of “a long, slow recovery” for certain sectors of the economy. Speaking to The City View podcast today, Gilbert said that though Black Monday in 1987 was a [...]
FTSE 100 jumps as investors look past dire results to economies reopening April 28, 2020 The FTSE 100 closed at its highest in more than six weeks today as investor sentiment improved on hopes that European economies will soon start to reopen. The blue-chip FTSE 100 index rose 1.9 per cent today to finish at 5,959 points, its highest point since early to mid-March. Traders have been buoyed by the [...]
HSBC first quarter profit halves on coronavirus pandemic April 28, 2020 HSBC saw coronavirus rip its first quarter profit in half today as it counted a huge $2.4bn jump in credit losses as a result of the pandemic. The bank’s share price declined 1.7 per cent to 409.3p in early trading as it revealed profit before tax sank 48 per cent year on year to $3.21bn. [...]
UK banks ease coronavirus business loan requirements April 27, 2020 The UK’s biggest banks have said they will ease their lending conditions to make it easier for small businesses to access cash through the coronavirus business loan schemes, after chancellor Rishi Sunak offered 100 per cent guarantees to the smallest businesses. The coronavirus business interruption loan scheme (CBILS) has been criticised by many firms who [...]
Lloyds gives staff at risk stay of execution during coronavirus pandemic lockdown April 27, 2020 Lloyds Banking Group has given staff in redundancy an extra month of breathing space during the coronavirus lockdown. The bank said last month it would pause plans to cut 780 jobs during the crisis. However, those already going through the redundancy process faced an unknown fate, with one source telling City A.M. they feared Lloyds [...]
ISS recommends re-election of Barclays boss Staley in further blow to Sherborne April 24, 2020 ISS has joined Glass Lewis in recommending Barclays shareholders vote to re-elect chief executive Jes Staley, in another blow to Edward Bramson’s vehicle Sherborne Investments. The Barclays boss has faced pressure from Bramson and Sherborne Investments over his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Prudential Regulation Authority are [...]
Coronavirus loans double to £2.8bn but only half are approved April 23, 2020 Banks have approved less than half of applications for coronavirus loans, as industry figures warn firms risk missing out. Loans for businesses increased £1.45bn in the week from 14 April to 21 April. It brings total lending under the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) to £2.8bn, according to UK Finance data. Over 9,000 loans [...]
Climate change remains key focus at LGIM as it ramps up pressure on boards April 22, 2020 Legal & General Investment Management (LGIM) is continuing to pressure corporate boards on climate change and governance, opposing the election of 4,000 company directors last year. The asset manager’s ‘Active Ownership’ report released today reveals it took sanctions against 11 companies named as laggards under LGIM’s climate impact pledge. Among these were Exxon Mobil and [...]
Exclusive: Businesses call for bank-by-bank breakdown of coronavirus lending April 21, 2020 British businesses have called on industry body UK Finance to publish a bank-by-bank breakdown of lending through the coronavirus support scheme, as it emerges that Natwest has so far made roughly half of all loans through the programme. Data from Natwest today showed that as of Sunday evening the group (formerly called RBS) had approved [...]