banks News

China Mulls Creation of New Regulator for State Financial Sector

China is considering a proposal to create a ministerial-level body to manage its state-owned banks and non-bank financial enterprises, two sources with knowledge of the plan said, a move that would strengthen Beijing’s grip on its lenders. China’s motivations for …

Europe’s Banks, Insurers Take Greek Debt Hit in Stride

Major European banks have limited their losses on Greek bonds to just over €5 billion [$7.2 billion] after negotiating a 21 percent haircut on their debt holdings as part of a rescue plan. France’s BNP Paribas is set to take …

Stress Test Puts Banks’ Euro Zone Debt in Spotlight

Pressure on Europe’s banks to raise more capital increased on Monday after last week’s stress tests revealed their holdings of European sovereign debt, with likely losses on Greek bonds a growing concern. A health check of 90 European banks unveiled …

Head of S&P Germany Rejects Euro Zone Criticism

Standard & Poor’s hit back at criticism over the credit rating agencies’ role in the euro zone debt crisis on Thursday, with its German operations head saying rating agencies would lose credibility if they “kept silent”. “We risk our credibility …

Portugal Adds to Europe Woes as Banks Meet on Greece

A credit rating downgrade to Portugal [by Moody’s Investors Services] added to fears Europe’s banks face heavy euro zone losses if a private sector plan to help Greece comes unstuck, piling pressure on creditors meeting on Wednesday. The Institute of …

Visitors Raise Irish Hopes for an End to Financial Crisis

The people of Ireland cheered up a bit following the back to back visits of Great Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, and the President of the United States, Barack Obama, or O’bama as the name appeared in Ireland. No, neither visitor …

UK Banks Hit by Compensation Capitulation for Mis-selling PPI

British banks gave up a fight over compensating customers wrongly sold insurance, forcing Barclays Plc and HSBC to take a combined hit of more than $2 billion in the latest blow to the industry. Barclays said it would make a …

Investors Suing Banks Gain Ammunition with Senate Report

Pigs. Unicorns. Money? A scathing U.S. Senate panel report faulting Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Deutsche Bank AG and others for contributing to the financial crisis may provide ammunition for investor lawsuits accusing the banks of putting their own interests ahead …

EU Prods China to Relax Restrictive Bank Ownership Rules

The European Union is pressing China to relax restrictions on foreign ownership of its banks in order to gain wider access to the Chinese financial markets, the region’s Internal Markets Commissioner said on Tuesday. Michel Barnier, in Beijing for a …

UK Government Announces Financial Regulatory Changes; ABI, Lloyd’s Comment

The UK’s Conservative government recently announced the long awaited regulatory reform proposals for financial services, covering both banks and insurers. They are far reaching, and will require changes in the way the UK’s insurance industry is regulated. As a result …