Nationwide profits resilient despite coronavirus hit November 20, 2020 Building society Nationwide reported a resilient performance in the first half year with profits stable, despite a £139m impairment charge. The lender reported a 17 per cent rise in pretax profit from £309m to £361m, despite a £139m provision for loans that may not be repaid due to the pandemic. Net lending for the six [...]
From ‘haves’ to ‘have-nots’: how COVID-19 is swelling UK’s subprime ranks November 18, 2020 By Sinead Cruise and Iain Withers LONDON (Reuters) – One morning, after years of financial prudence and solid creditworthiness, you wake up and it’s all gone. You’re no longer worthy. You’re a risk. In fact, you’re sub-prime. That is the fate facing thousands of Britons who, often for no fault of their own, could begin [...]
Co-op Bank narrows losses but remains deep in the red November 6, 2020 The Co-operative Bank narrowed its losses in the third quarter, putting the lender on course for a better year than in 2019, despite the coronavirus pandemic. The bank’s statutory loss before tax in the third quarter was £23.5m, it said in a trading update today. That was down sharply from a loss of £80.1m in [...]
Separatist Scots beware: A new Scottish currency would be catastrophic November 5, 2020 Some 12 out of the last 15 opinion polls on Scottish secession have shown majority support for splitting up the United Kingdom. During a period of unprecedented crisis, Scots have chosen to rally round the flag — only this time the flag is that of Scotland, not the UK. However, while polling numbers may be unnerving [...]
Lloyds ramps up cost-cutting measures, axing 1,000 more jobs November 4, 2020 Lloyds is set to axe over 1,000 jobs, as Britain’s biggest domestic lender ramps up cost-cutting efforts despite returning to profitability during the third quarter. Lloyds will cut 1,070 roles across its commercial and retail bank and has announced plans to create 340 new positions. Read more: Lloyds profit beats forecasts on pandemic mortgage boom [...]
Regulator extends mortgage payment holiday ahead of lockdown November 2, 2020 The financial watchdog has proposed an extension of the mortgage payment holiday for borrowers struggling to make payments, ahead of a second national lockdown
Trader convicted of rigging Libor to be released from prison in January November 2, 2020 Tom Hayes, a former UBS and Citigroup trader convicted of rigging the Libor benchmark, is to be released from prison in January after more than five years. Hayes, who was convicted of rigging the London interbank offered rate (or Libor) in 2015, will be released on 29 January, according to his lawyer. The 41-year-old has [...]
Watchdog extends loan payment holidays ahead of second lockdown November 2, 2020 The UK’s financial watchdog will extend payment holidays on credit cards, car finance, personal loans and pawnbroking ahead of a second coronavirus lockdown in England. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said that consumers who had not yet had a payment deferral under guidance issued in July would be able to request a payment holiday lasting [...]
Sainsbury’s mulls sale of banking division October 31, 2020 The new Sainsbury’s boss is reportedly planning a sale of the supermarket’s banking arm as the impact of near-zero interest rates hit. The supermarket launched the bank in 1997 and now boasts more than 2m customers across a range of products including mortgages, home insurance and credit cards. But medium-sized banks are facing pressure as [...]
Negative rates explained: should UK investors prepare? October 30, 2020 The UK’s banks received a letter from the Bank of England (BoE) this week which has brought negative interest rates back into the headlines. The letter, published here, asked banks how ready they would be if the Bank of England base rate – which currently sits at 0.10% – moved into negative territory. The letter, signed [...]