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☆ Barclays swings back to profit in first quarter amid strategic overhaul
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON — Barclays on Thursday reported first-quarter net income attributable to shareholders of £1.55 billion ($1.93 billion), beating expectations and returning the British lender to profit amid a major strategic overhaul. Analysts polled by Reuters had expected net profit attributable to shareholders of £1.29 billion for the quarter, according to LSEG data. Barclays reported a net loss of £111 million in the fourth quarter of 2023 due to an operational shake-up designed to reduce costs and improve efficiencies. The overhaul saw the reorganization of the business into five operating divisions, separating the corporate and investment bank to form: Barclays U.K., Barclays U.K. Corporate Bank, Barclays Private Bank and Wealth Management, Barclays Investment Bank and Barclays U.S. Consumer Bank. The bank also pledged to return £10 billion to shareholders between 2024 and 2026 through dividends and share buybacks.

Persons: C.S, Venkatakrishnan, — CNBC's Elliot Smith Organizations: LONDON, Barclays, Reuters, Tesco Bank, Corporate Bank, Barclays Private Bank, Wealth Management, Barclays Investment Bank, Barclays U.S . Consumer Bank

☆ Barclays jumps 8.6% after announcing major strategic overhaul
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

LONDON — Barclays on Tuesday reported a fourth-quarter net loss of £111 million ($139.8 million) as the British lender announced an extensive strategic overhaul, boosting its shares more than 8.6% through the day. For the full year, net attributable profit came to £4.27 billion, down from £5.023 billion in 2022 and below a consensus forecast of £4.59 billion. Credit impairment charges were £552 million, up from £498 million in the fourth quarter of 2022. The business will now be divided into five operating divisions, separating the corporate and investment bank to form: Barclays U.K., Barclays U.K. Corporate Bank, Barclays Private Bank and Wealth Management, Barclays Investment Bank and Barclays U.S. Consumer Bank. Barclays is targeting total gross cost savings of £2 billion and an RoTE of greater than 12% by 2026.

Persons: C.S, Venkatakrishnan, Mariva Rivas, DBRS Morningstar, Rivas Organizations: Citigroup Inc, State Street Corp, Barclays Plc, HSBC Holdings Plc, LONDON, Barclays, Reuters, Momentum, Corporate Bank, Barclays Private Bank, Wealth Management, Barclays Investment Bank, Barclays U.S . Consumer Bank, CNBC, U.S Locations: Wharf

Annual consumer price inflation plunged to a lower-than-expected 4.6% in October from 6.7% in September, official data showed on Wednesday. The Bank of England's forecasts and the consensus from a Reuters poll of economists had pointed to a reading of 4.8%. Sterling fell slightly against the dollar after publication of the data, which showed key inflation measures watched closely by the BoE also falling by more than expected. Investors added to their bets on BoE rate cuts next year with three 25-basis-point reductions in Bank Rate fully priced in by December 2024, and a first cut fully priced for June. Reporting by Andy Bruce and David Milliken, editing by William James and Bernadette BaumOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Sterling, BoE, Julien Lafargue, Sunak, Huw Pill, Hugh Gimber, Andy Bruce, David Milliken, William James, Bernadette Baum Organizations: Bank of England, of, ONS, Barclays Private Bank, Conservative Party, U.S ., Morgan Asset Management, Thomson Locations: Britain, Italy

☆ UK inflation has halved this year but economic growth remains elusive
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

London CNN —UK inflation plunged to its lowest level in two years in October, allowing Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to declare victory on his pledge to halve the rate of price increases this year. Services inflation fell but remained high, at 6.6%. “The UK economy is still very much facing stagflation and, in our view, the road ahead will likely continue to be bumpy,” said Julien Lafargue, chief market strategist at Barclays Private Bank. Stagflation refers to a toxic mix of high inflation and low, or no, economic growth. There is also evidence that higher interest rates are placing an increasing strain on the economy.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, “, ” Sunak, Gary Smith, GMB, ”, Andrew Bailey, Alex Veitch, Sunak’s, —, Julien Lafargue, ” Ewan Mackay, Jeremy Hunt, Veitch Organizations: London CNN —, National Statistics, Bank of England, Chambers of Commerce, “, Barclays Private Bank, NatWest, Accenture, P, British Chambers of Commerce Locations: United Kingdom, Ireland, British

☆ Dollar eyes weekly gain as U.S. economy stays robust
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The dollar was headed for a weekly gain on Friday, aided by solid U.S. growth figures that bolstered the case for higher-for-longer interest rates, while the yen hovered on the weaker side of 150 per dollar ahead of a key policy meeting next week. That added to bets the Federal Reserve is likely to keep monetary conditions restrictive for longer, driving the dollar broadly higher against a basket of currencies. The U.S. dollar index steadied at 106.57, having hit a three-week high of 106.89 in the previous session, and was on track for a weekly gain of about 0.4%. Sterling edged 0.07% higher to $1.21355, though was not too far from a three-week low of $1.2070 hit on Thursday. The European Central Bank, or ECB, on Thursday left interest rates unchanged as expected, ending an unprecedented streak of 10 consecutive rate hikes.

Persons: Lint, PMIs, Julien Lafargue, Tony Sycamore, we've, we're Organizations: Federal Reserve, U.S, European Central Bank, ECB, Barclays Private Bank, Analysts, IG, Treasury, Bank of Japan Locations: U.S, Asia, Gaza, Tokyo

☆ Dollar eyes weekly gain as US economy stays robust
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( Rae Wee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

U.S. one dollar banknotes are seen in front of displayed stock graph in this illustration taken, February 8, 2021. That added to bets the Federal Reserve is likely to keep monetary conditions restrictive for longer, driving the dollar broadly higher against a basket of currencies. The U.S. dollar index steadied at 106.57, having hit a three-week high of 106.89 in the previous session, and was on track for a weekly gain of about 0.4%. The European Central Bank (ECB) on Thursday left interest rates unchanged as expected, ending an unprecedented streak of 10 consecutive rate hikes. The yen last stood at 150.38 per dollar, languishing near the previous session's one-year trough of 150.78.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Lint, PMIs, Julien Lafargue, Tony Sycamore, we've, we're, Rae Wee, Lincoln Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Federal Reserve, U.S, European Central Bank, ECB, Barclays Private Bank, Analysts, IG, Treasury, Bank of Japan, Thomson Locations: Rights SINGAPORE, U.S, Asia, Gaza, Tokyo

SummarySummary Companies Travis Perkins falls, warns of downbeat profitUK inflation data, BoE rate decision due next weekFTSE 100 up 0.2%, FTSE 250 flatJune 16 (Reuters) - UK's FTSE 100 climbed on Friday, with defensive stocks such as utilities and healthcare leading the charge, while top building materials supplier Travis Perkins slumped after a profit warning. The internationally-focused FTSE 100 (.FTSE) gained 0.2%, posting a weekly gain of 1%, snapping a three-week losing streak underpinned by strength in mining stocks. Investors now look ahead to domestic inflation data and a probable 25-basis-point rate hike from the Bank of England next week. "It looks like, at least at this point, that this is the central bank that's going to remain the most restrictive for the longest period of time." A BoE survey showed the British public's expectations for inflation in the coming 12 months cooled in May.

Persons: Travis Perkins, BoE, Julien Lafargue, Ankika Biswas, Shashwat Chauhan, Khushi Singh, Sherry Jacob, Phillips, Shailesh Organizations: U.S . Federal Reserve, European Central Bank, Bank of, ECB, Barclays Private Bank, FTSE, Britain's, Thomson Locations: Bank of England, Bengaluru

☆ London stocks fall ahead of BoE rate decision, banks down
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Shashwat Chauhan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The FTSE 100 (.FTSE) fell 0.7%, after recording its highest closing level in more than a week on Wednesday. The focus now shifts to the BoE, which is widely expected to also raise its lending rate by 25 bps at 1200 GMT. "It's highly unlikely that the BoE would diverge from other central banks," said Julien Lafargue, chief market strategist at Barclays Private Bank. Ahead of its decision on interest rates, the BoE said in a letter to lawmakers that more sharp moves in asset prices could expose weaknesses in parts of Britain's financial system. Informa (INF.L) dropped 2.7% after Morgan Stanley cut its rating on the events organizer's stock to "equal-weight" from "overweight".

☆ Analysis: European stocks lure global investors as rate hikes hurt U.S. more
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( Shreyashi Sanyal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Banks (.SX7P) accounted for nearly 16% of the STOXX 600 index (.STOXX) and have benefited from the high-rate environment, gaining nearly 20% to hit their highest in almost five years. In contrast, 35% of the S&P 500 (.SPX), the world's largest index by market value, are technology companies. Tech stocks (.SPLRCT) on the index have gained just 9% this year as rising rates make future profits for tech companies less valuable. CHEAPER IN EUROPEOn the valuation front too, the European stock market is much cheaper than the U.S. The STOXX 600 trades at about 13 times its 12-month forward price-to-earnings ratio, while the S&P 500 trades at some 18 times.

☆ London's FTSE 100 muted as bank stocks fall; weaker pound limits losses
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Shashwat Chauhan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The blue-chip FTSE 100 (.FTSE) fell 0.1%, hovering near a record high. British lender Barclays (BARC.L) slid 8.3% to the bottom of the FTSE 100 and was set to post its biggest drop in nearly a year after reporting a 14% slump in full-year profit. The FTSE 350 banking index (.FTNMX301010) fell 1.9%, on track for its biggest one-day drop in more than two months. The pound edged lower after data showed British consumer price inflation fell more than expected in January and there were also drops in underlying measures of inflation that are being closely watched by the Bank of England. The FTSE 100 has had a stellar start to the year boosted by upbeat corporate earnings, rising more than 6% so far this year.

REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File PhotoOct 12 (Reuters) - Signs of stress are growing in the global financial system, sparking worries over everything from contagion between markets to ruptures in financial products. This week alone, a gloomy report from the International Monetary Fund flagged risks of “disorderly asset repricings” and “financial market contagions” while JPMorgan chief Jamie Dimon predicted a looming recession. Global financial conditions, which reflect the availability of funding, touched their tightest since 2009 in late September, an index compiled by Goldman Sachs showed, lifted by surging interest rates, falling equities and a soaring dollar. “There are dollar funding shortages.”The IMF's Global Financial Stability Report, released Tuesday, also highlighted specific risks in open-end investment funds and the leveraged loan market. U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Tuesday said she has not seen signs of financial instability in U.S. financial markets despite high volatility.

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