NatWest will provide £1.25bn in aid to farmers facing inflation July 18, 2022 NatWest will offer farmers a £1.25bn lending package amidst surging inflation in the UK. This package follows earlier support and takes the bank’s total lending for the agriculture sector to more than £6.7bn. The capital will be deployed through loans, asset finance, and higher overdraft limits, and will also help farmers transition to more sustainable practices [...]
UK banks’ profits surge past French rivals for first time since before Brexit vote July 4, 2022 Profits at Britain’s banks have topped their French counterparts for the first time since before the Brexit vote, reveals a fresh study published today. The UK’s largest lenders posted pre-tax profits of $55.1bn (£45.6bn) last year, slightly higher than the $54.8bn (£45.3bn) registered by French banks, according to The Banker’s annual top 1,000 world bank [...]
Swelling of ‘generation rent’ means many won’t be homeowners until 40s, 50s or even pension age June 8, 2022 Almost 15 per cent of renters think they may be picking up their pension before becoming homeowners, as the cost of living crisis continues to eat into savings. With so-called ‘Generation Rent’ continuing to be impacted by soaring house prices that prevents them from getting onto the property ladder, a new survey commissioned for NatWest [...]
Ex-banker turned GoCardless president Paul Stoddart talks fintech, Brexit, pandemic recovery and Russia May 28, 2022 At the start of this month, Paul Stoddart jumped ship to become the president of the newly-minted fintech unicorn GoCardless. Stoddart, who describes himself as a “banker by trade,” spent years at Natwest, Barclays, and was most recently the chairman of Mastercard’s VocaLink. In an exclusive interview with City A.M., Stoddart said that joining GoCardless [...]
NatWest offers customers chance to win £1,000 this summer via ’round up’ feature May 27, 2022 People saving with NatWest could win £1,000 this summer if they turn on a “round ups” feature on their account. The bank said it will award 10 customers £1,000 each. The round ups feature rounds up the cost of a purchase to the nearest pound and the spare change is automatically paid into a chosen [...]
Natwest’s profits soar as high interest rates boost bank’s mortgage business April 29, 2022 Natwest today said its profits had almost doubled since the previous quarter, despite inflation, the cost-of-living crisis, and the war in Ukraine. The bank said it had generated £841m in profits in the first quarter of 2022, up 93.8 per cent compared to the £434m in profits Natwest posted in Q4 2021. The first quarter [...]
NatWest examines £3bn bid for Tilney Smith & Williamson April 2, 2022 NatWest is reportedly examining a £3bn takeover proposal for UK wealth management powerhouse Tilney Smith & Williamson. Sources told Sky News the bank – which was rescued by the government in 2008 – is among several bidders who will make a play as the high street lender is expected to go on sale within the [...]
Govt reduces stake in NatWest to less than 50 per cent as Treasury sells £1.2bn of shares March 28, 2022 The Government has ceded its control of banking group NatWest Group for the first time since the bank – then known as Royal Bank of Scotland Group – was rescued by the Treasury during the financial crisis. The Treasury has sold off more than £1.2bn worth of shares, taking its stake to less than 50 [...]
New business growth in London at eight year high amid concern about inflation and input costs March 14, 2022 New business activity in the capital has reached an eight-year high, but optimism remains cautious with rising inflation and pressures on input costs. There has been a resurgence in trade across the London, with growth rising from 57.3 per cent in January to a three month high of 63 per cent, in February. Growth reported [...]
Natwest reveals £1bn cut in lending to oil and gas sector February 18, 2022 NatWest cut lending to the oil and gas sector by 21 per cent in 2021, with the bank pushing to decarbonise its loan book and hit net zero.