Moneycorp warns over uncertain year ahead as Brexit fears bite April 6, 2016 Moneycorp, the foreign exchange firm recently granted a banking licence in Gibraltar, has warned the outlook for 2016 is uncertain due to doubts surrounding a potential British exit from the European Union. A so-called Brexit could cause extreme currency volatility that firms are finding difficult to prepare for. Yesterday it was revealed Britain’s foreign currency reserves reached a [...]
HSBC leaving the UK? Five charts showing why it might actually mean it this time April 24, 2015 HSBC chairman Douglas Flint raised eyebrows on markets today when he announced the bank's board had begun a review into whether it should continue to be headquartered in the UK. The news sent shares up more than three per cent as investors showed their appreciation for the (possible) move. More on this story: HSBC launches review [...]
London’s biggest banks will struggle to reach sustained profitability due to bad debts and regulatory fines, IMF and KPMG warn April 14, 2016 A toxic mix of bad debts and regulatory fines will see some of London’s biggest banks struggle to reach sustained profitability, according to two major new reports from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and KPMG. The hard-hitting reports have prompted city analysts to predict looming job cuts in the Square Mile and Canary Wharf, while [...]
HSBC’s Indonesian subsidiary Bank Ekonomi to delist from the Indonesia Stock Exchange February 16, 2015 HSBC plans to integrate Bank Ekonomi, the Indonesian bank it majority owns, with its main operations in the country due to the illiquidity of shares. Bank Ekonomi, in which HSBC has a 99 per cent stake, has said it will delist from the Indonesian Stock Exchange from the start of Tuesday trading. "Bank Ekonomi has requested [...]
Top 100 firms double in value to $16.2 trillion: Apple heads list as HSBC named UK’s most valuable company June 1, 2015 The world’s biggest 100 firms now have a combined value of more than $16 trillion (£10.7 trillion), almost double their market capitalisation in 2009, a PwC study reveals today. Technology firms have driven the boom in valuations – just 12 firms in the sector have a combined valuation of $2.8 trillion. Six years ago, the [...]
Another bloodbath on US markets as Dow Jones, S&P 500 and Nasdaq are all hit by banking losses February 11, 2016 US markets were down again in morning trading in New York, as global turmoil refused to let up. The S&P 500 was down one per cent in mid-morning trading, at 1,831.2 points, while the Dow Jones was down 1.3 per cent, at 15,712 points. The Nasdaq, meanwhile, erased some of its gains, starting the day [...]
Visa’s new app will mean you can pay for petrol without leaving your car February 22, 2016 The Western world's quick decline into obesity was accelerated today by news that Visa has created new services whereby drivers can pay for fuel and parking without even leaving their car. The financial services firm has teamed up with Honda to create one of the apps, which can be accessed from the car's dashboard. It unveiled the new [...]
The Big Bang 30 years on: How the City of London has changed since 1986 October 26, 2016 Nothing stands still in the City. The world's financial services powerhouse has seen it all, from boom and bust to bouncebacks and Brexit. Its skyline has changed almost beyond recognition over the last three decades, as have the markets it serves. As we mark the 30th anniversary of the so-called Big Bang, we cannot help [...]
Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) delays publication of retail banking review until August March 7, 2016 The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has confirmed plans to delay the publication of its long-awaited review into the retail banking market, saying today that the results of the probe will not be published until the end of the summer. In a statement this morning, the CMA put forward more recommendations to help customers understand [...]
Deutsche Bank seeks to quell investor fears as it assures it can make debt repayments due in April February 8, 2016 Deutsche Bank moved to calm investors this evening, after it said it will have no problem making bond payments due in April. The bank, whose shares fell 9.5 per cent to €13.82 during trading in Frankfurt today, said its payment capacity was approximately €1bn, which it said was "sufficient to pay additional tier one (AT1) coupons of approximately €350m [...]