Swiss prosecutor drops HSBC money laundering probe without criminal charge June 4, 2015 HSBC can start to breathe easily – at least when it comes to the money laundering claims. Swiss prosecutors have dropped their investigation into its private bank after reaching a financial settlement that carries no admission of guilt. HSBC has agreed to pay SF40m (£27.8m) to the Genevan authorities investigating alleged money laundering [...]
Sterling suffers historic crash as Brits back Brexit June 24, 2016 The pound has been haemorrhaging against the dollar as panic engulfs financial markets in reaction to the UK voting to leave the European Union. Sterling has racked up its worst daily fall on records that date back to 1971 — even uglier the collapse of Lehman Brothers and Black Wednesday. At one stage, the pound fell as low as $1.3224, a fall of more [...]
Before the bell: What you need to know before the US market open May 3, 2016 Oil prices are falling and Australian central bankers are getting jumpy. Here's what you need to know before the US markets open. Markets look set for a sharply lower open, following their European counterparts southwards. Many seem to have taken the old adage of "sell in May and go away," to heart it seems. S&P [...]
HSBC looking for greener pastures should not surprise April 29, 2015 The sandwiches and coffee were standard fare at HSBC’s annual meeting. But it took mere minutes for political red herrings to be added to the menu. Take the bank’s confirmation it is reviewing its headquarters’ location. Labour’s attempt to blame HSBC’s action on a Conservative-inspired EU referendum was misguided, but inevitable. Douglas [...]
Why Google’s Android Pay UK launch is far more exciting than Apple’s May 18, 2016 Less than a year after Apple Pay reached the UK, Android Pay has landed. Since last July only a lucky few – those who own an Apple Watch or one of the recent raft of iPhones (including the SE) – could pay for goods and services via their phones. This was merely the green shoots [...]
HSBC’s turnaround plan and mining stocks hit FTSE 100 – London Report June 9, 2015 BRITAIN’S top shares fell yesterday as a new turnaround plan from Europe’s biggest bank, HSBC, failed to impress markets. HSBC took the most points off the blue-chip FTSE 100 index. Its shares closed down 0.9 per cent after investors and analysts questioned whether its pledge to shed almost 50,000 jobs would be enough to lift [...]
All aboard! The banking rollercoaster ride is here April 27, 2016 The UK’s banks have been on a rollercoaster ride since the dark days of the credit crunch in 2008, from PPI mis-selling to Libor and the Forex scandal. Recent woes include market volatility, capital buffers and low interest rates depressing margins. As first quarter reporting season kicks off with Barclays today, some good news at [...]
Brexit: It’s early days, but UK business has been getting on with it July 15, 2016 It is less than three weeks since the British people voted to leave the EU. In that time, much of the media response has been verging on hysterical. The political establishment, City and even bookmakers simply did not see Leave coming. Figures who were top of their game a month ago have fallen on their swords: [...]
Anglo American braces for investor revolt over executive pay April 20, 2016 FTSE 100-listed miner Anglo American is bracing for an investor revolt over execs' pay packets at its annual shareholder meeting tomorrow. Shareholder interest group, ShareSoc, has urged investors to vote against chief executive Mark Cutifani's reward package, which is worth £3.4m. Advisory firm Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS), representing about 20 per cent of shareholders in UK [...]
Profits at UK firms are at their lowest level since before the financial crisis May 16, 2016 Profits at the UK’s largest companies slumped to their lowest level in a decade in 2015, with turmoil in the banking and commodities industries weighing heavily on corporate performance. New analysis from the Share Centre, released today, shows that the FTSE 350 – the UK’s largest 350 listed companies – posted combined pre-tax profits of £84bn last [...]