HSBC leads banks’ plans to hike savings rates – and analysts say they could go up even further Savings rates HSBC UK is boosting the interest rates on some savings accounts with increases of up to 0.75 percentage points, the bank has announced. The increases will come into effect next week, on Thursday June 8. They include a 0.75 percentage point increase on the bank’s mysavings and premier savings youth accounts, taking rates to 5.00 [...]
Consumer Duty: High street banks prepare for major regulatory shakeup as clock ticks down Consumer Duty Banks in the UK have just two months to prepare for the incoming Consumer Duty, with some prominent bankers suggesting the new regulatory standards will prompt widespread changes in the industry. The Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) flagship Consumer Duty, which will come into effect on 31 July, requires firms to deliver good outcomes for retail [...]
Goldman Sachs to make another round of job cuts as dealmaking slump continues – reports Goldman Sachs Goldman Sachs is considering another round of job cuts over the next few weeks as the drought in dealmaking continues to weigh on performance. According to Reuters, the layoffs – which would total not more than 250 – could include senior figures like partners and managing directors. The news was first reported by the Wall [...]
Plans to boost scrutiny of regulators don’t go far enough, experts argue May 24, 2023 New plans to boost oversight of financial regulators have been criticised by experts, as the government responds to concerns that watchdogs face too little scrutiny. Earlier this week, the it was reported that the Treasury is planning to beef up the Financial Regulators Complaints Commissioner (FRCC) in order to more robustly hold regulators to account. [...]
EU remains firm on post-Brexit clearing plans despite pressure on both sides of the Channel May 24, 2023 The EU is set to reject calls to rethink its approach to the clearing business despite mounting pressure on both sides of the Channel. The EU’s financial services commissioner Mairead McGuinness said the plans were vital to the EU’s “financial resilience”. “I want to underline that this matter is actually not so much about Brexit. [...]
City breathes sigh of relief: Draft MoU on post Brexit UK-EU financial services welcomed May 23, 2023 Figures in the City seemed to breathe a sigh of relief following the publication of a draft memorandum of understanding (MoU) on financial services between the UK and EU last week. Released last Friday, the agreement commits the two to “jointly endeavour to pursue a robust and ambitious bilateral regulatory cooperation in the area of [...]
JP Morgan expects $3bn income boost from acquisition of First Republic May 22, 2023 JP Morgan predicts a $3bn boost to its interest income as a result of its acquisition of First Republic, revealing how the Wall Street giant benefitted from the regional banking crisis. According to a presentation made at its investor day, the US’s largest bank said it expects its net interest income to increase to $84bn, [...]
Pacwest shares climb after it announces sale of £2.1bn real estate portfolio May 22, 2023 Pacwest shares rose in pre-open trading today after it confirmed the sale of a portfolio of real estate loans worth $2.6bn (£2.1bn).
Central banks and governments pressured lenders to rig Libor rate, new book claims May 22, 2023 A new book alleges that banks were pressured by central banks and governments to manipulate the London Interbank Offered Rate, or Libor, in an attempt to boost confidence in the financial sector. The book, which is being serialised in The Times, claims that regulators and prosecutors knew about this pressure, but covered it up when [...]
Experts question surge in buybacks after record spree in 2022 May 22, 2023 Experts have raised questions about the spate of share buybacks undertaken by UK companies over the past year. Buybacks reached record levels globally in 2022 according to recent figures from Janus Henderson, rising 22 per cent year-on-year to hit $1.3trn. Buybacks were worth 94 per cent of dividends in 2022, compared to 52 per cent [...]