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☆ Zurich bank looks to capitalise on Credit Suisse's demise
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Noele Illien | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"There is a chance that the situation might accelerate our existing plans," he added, and suggested the bank would be open to looking into purchasing businesses from Credit Suisse, should they become available. "We want to grow and we have stated that we are open to looking at external growth as well, regardless of the situation of Credit Suisse," Baumann said. The Canton of Zurich is liable under the state guarantee for any ZKB liabilities which the bank cannot cover in the event of trouble. Deposits in Swiss bank accounts are usually only protected up to 100,000 Swiss francs. ($1 = 0.9190 Swiss francs)($1 = 0.9168 Swiss francs)($1 = 0.9160 Swiss francs)($1 = 0.9164 Swiss francs)Reporting by Noele IllienOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Credit Suisse could face disciplinary action, Swiss regulator says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] The logo of Swiss bank Credit Suisse is seen in front of a branch office in Bern, Switzerland November 29, 2022. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File PhotoZURICH, March 26 (Reuters) - Swiss financial regulator FINMA said it was considering whether to take disciplinary action against Credit Suisse (CSGN.S) managers after Switzerland's second largest bank had to be rescued last week by UBS (UBSG.S). Credit Suisse on Sunday declined to comment on the FINMA President's comments when asked by Reuters for a response. FINMA had conducted six public "enforcement proceedings" against Credit Suisse in recent years, Amstad said. Amstad also defended Switzerland's decision to write down 16 billion Swiss francs of Credit Suisse Additional Tier 1 (AT1) debt, to zero as part of the forced rescue merger.

☆ Swiss finance minister defends rushed banking takeover
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

"Credit Suisse would not have survived Monday," Karin Keller-Sutter said, explaining the need to find a swift solution for Credit Suisse's woes. Last Sunday it was announced that UBS (UBSG.S) had agreed to buy its rival Credit Suisse (CSGN.S) for 3 billion Swiss francs ($3.23 billion) in stock and agreed to assume up to 5 billion francs ($5.4 billion) in losses in a merger engineered by Swiss authorities to prevent more market turmoil in global banking. Shareholders, for example, who would normally get a say in such a takeover were largely bypassed, which has angered some of them. Keller-Sutter said the Swiss government's executive Federal Council "only went as far as was absolutely necessary to achieve the goal of stabilisation". ($1 = 0.9199 Swiss francs)Reporting by Noele Illien Editing by Giles ElgoodOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ UBS's Dargan and Credit Suisse's McDonagh to lead merger -newspaper
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

ZURICH, March 25 (Reuters) - The integration team tasked with merging Switzerland's two largest banks is to be headed by UBS's (UBSG.S) chief technology officer and Credit Suisse's (CSGN.S) chief operating officer, the Tages-Anzeiger newspaper reported on Saturday. Mike Dargan, who has been with UBS for 7 years, and Francesca McDonagh, who joined Credit Suisse last September, will be tasked with unifying the two banks. It is unclear when the merger will be completed. UBS has agreed to buy Credit Suisse for 3 billion Swiss francs ($3.26 billion) in stock and to assume up to 5 billion francs ($5.44 billion) in losses, in a merger engineered by Swiss authorities. ($1 = 0.9199 Swiss francs)Reporting by Noele Illien; editing by Jason NeelyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Credit Suisse accessed billions in liquidity last weekend, Swiss finance minister says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

ZURICH, March 25 (Reuters) - Credit Suisse (CSGN.S) tapped the Swiss National Bank for "a large multi-billion amount" last weekend to secure its liquidity, the country's finance minister Karin Keller-Sutter told Swiss broadcaster SRF on Saturday. The troubled Swiss bank had said last week it intended to borrow up to 50 billion Swiss francs from the country's central bank to boost its liquidity. "Last weekend, a large multi-billion amount was withdrawn by Credit Suisse for liquidity protection," Keller-Sutter said. Keller-Sutter said "it is to be assumed" that the figure was above 50 billion Swiss francs ($54.35 billion), but said the Swiss National Bank had the exact number. Last Sunday, UBS (UBSG.S) agreed to buy its rival Credit Suisse (CSGN.S) for 3 billion Swiss francs in stock and agreed to assume up to 5 billion francs in losses in a merger engineered by Swiss authorities to prevent more market turmoil in global banking.

"If this solution hadn't worked, Credit Suisse (CSGN.S) would have failed, with extreme consequences for Switzerland but also the global economy," he told a press conference. The SNB Chairman said it was vital for UBS's takeover of the 167-year-old Credit Suisse to go through as smoothly as possible in order to maintain financial stability. [1/2] The Swiss National Bank (SNB) building is seen near the Limmat river in Zurich, Switzerland March 23, 2023. The Bank of England is expected to increase its interest rate by a quarter percentage point later on Thursday. "Without today's policy rate increase, the inflation forecast would be even higher over the medium term," the central bank said.

ZURICH, March 21 (Reuters) - Swiss authorities imposed curbs on bonus payments for Credit Suisse (CSGN.S) employees, a move that will penalise bankers after a multi-billion-franc state rescue of the bank. Credit Suisse declined to comment. Battered by years of scandals and losses, Credit Suisse for months had been battling a crisis of confidence. The bank's bonus pool shrank by 50% in 2022 to 1 billion Swiss francs, according to its annual report. The Swiss government also instructed its finance ministry to propose further measures on variable remuneration for Credit Suisse.

☆ Credit Suisse memorabilia up for grabs in online shops after merger
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/3] Gold bars from the Credit Suisse are seen in a shop in Zurich, Switzerland March 20, 2023. Dozens of bars of gold, stamped with the name of the issuer - the 167-year-old Credit Suisse - were uploaded to the country's most popular online marketplaces, Ricardo.ch and tutti.ch. With it still unknown whether the Credit Suisse brand will be continued, the sellers are seeking to attract those looking to snap up a piece of Swiss financial history. Credit Suisse is expected to remain an independent brand until the merger is complete, at which point UBS will decide whether to pull the plug on the separate Credit Suisse identity. Corporate swag from recently failed Silicon Valley Bank is also proving popular online, as is merchandise linked to Lehman Brothers, which filed for bankruptcy at the height of the 2008 financial crisis.

☆ UBS to take over Credit Suisse, assume up to 5 billion Swiss francs in losses
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

BERN, March 19 (Reuters) - UBS (UBSG.S) agreed to buy rival Swiss bank Credit Suisse (CSGN.S) for 3 billion Swiss francs ($3.23 billion) in stock and agreed to assume up to 5 billion francs ($5.4 billion) in losses, in a shotgun merger engineered by Swiss authorities to avoid more market-shaking turmoil in global banking. The deal includes 100 billion Swiss francs ($108 billion) in liquidity assistance for UBS and Credit Suisse from the Swiss central bank. In that eventuality, UBS would assume the first 5 billion francs, the federal government the next 9 billion francs, and UBS would assume any further losses, the government said. Credit Suisse Additional Tier 1 shares with a nominal value of around 16 billion francs ($17.2 billion) will be written down completely after the Swiss government provided support for UBS' takeover of Credit Suisse, FINMA said. Reuters Graphics Reuters GraphicsThe Swiss government said that it was also giving UBS a guarantee of 9 billion Swiss francs "assume potential losses" from assets as part of the transaction.

Reuters Graphics Reuters GraphicsThe Swiss Bank Employees Association, in a statement to Reuters, demanded that UBS keep job cuts to an "absolute minimum". The statement underscores the sense of unease in Switzerland, with its reputation as a global financial center on the line. Green Party lawmaker Gerhard Andrey said that Credit Suisse is "such a visible institute". "A few months ago, nobody would have thought that Credit Suisse would fail. "But also that we are upholding the reputation of the Swiss financial centre."

[1/2] CEO Ralph Hamers of Swiss bank UBS addresses the Annual Meeting of Swiss Financial Institute (SFI) in Zurich, Switzerland November 10, 2022. Hamers, with no big-ticket M&A experience under his belt, has cut his teeth reshaping a major Dutch lender mostly by selling businesses. Reuters Graphics Reuters GraphicsA nearly 30-year veteran of Dutch lender ING - he married a former colleague from the bank - Hamers was a surprise choice when he was appointed in early 2020 to lead UBS. UBS declined to comment on the matter on Monday but the bank said at the time that it had "full confidence" in Hamers. Former Unilever CEO and fellow Dutchman Paul Polman gave a Hamers a vote of confidence on Monday, telling Reuters that "Hamers is a purposeful leader certainly well prepared to lead Swiss banking through these challenging times."

☆ Credit Suisse memorabilia up for grabs in online shops
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

FINMA, the Swiss regulator, said the decision would bolster the bank's capital. Engineered in the wake of the global financial crisis, AT1 bonds are a form of junior debt that counts towards banks' regulatory capital. "It's stunning and hard to understand how they can reverse the hierarchy between AT1 holders and shareholders," said Jerome Legras, head of research at Axiom Alternative Investments, an investor in Credit Suisse's AT1 debt. Credit Suisse's AT1 debt had rallied earlier on Sunday amid reports that shareholders would receive something in a deal with UBS, raising hopes that bondholders would be protected. The move by the Swiss regulator could make it harder for other lenders to raise new AT1 debt, investors said.

☆ UBS chairman wants to keep Credit Suisse's Swiss unit
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

ZURICH, March 19 (Reuters) - UBS (UBSG.S) Chairman Colm Kelleher said the bank wants to keep Credit Suisse's Swiss unit, speaking at a news conference announcing the merger between Switzerland's two biggest banks on Sunday. "It is a fine asset that we are very determined to keep and hopefully service their customers and clients as efficiently as Credit Suisse has done," Kelleher said. The Chairman of Switzerland's biggest bank said it "will be running down the investment banking part of Credit Suisse, because UBS itself has an investment bank-like model." "We need to do this in a rational way [and] thoughtfully, when we've sat down and analysed what we need to do." Reporting by Noele Illien Editing by Paul CarrelOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ UBS to take over Credit Suisse, assume up to 5 bln Swiss francs in losses
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The deal includes 100 billion Swiss francs ($108 billion) in liquidity assistance for UBS and Credit Suisse from the Swiss central bank. In that eventuality, UBS would assume the first 5 billion francs, the federal government the next 9 billion francs, and UBS would assume any further losses, the government said. Credit Suisse Additional Tier 1 shares with a nominal value of around 16 billion francs ($17.2 billion) will be written down completely after the Swiss government provided support for UBS' takeover of Credit Suisse, FINMA said. Authorities had been scrambling to rescue Credit Suisse, among the world's largest wealth managers, before financial markets reopened on Monday. Reuters Graphics Reuters GraphicsThe Swiss government said that it was also giving UBS a guarantee of 9 billion Swiss francs "assume potential losses" from assets as part of the transaction.

☆ Credit Suisse CEO said bank's liquidity basis is "very very strong"
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

ZURICH, March 15 (Reuters) - Credit Suisse (CSGN.S) Chief Executive Ulrich Koerner spoke of the strength of the Swiss lender's liquidity basis in an interview with CNA on Wednesday, after its share price dropped more than 30% following comments by the company's lead investor. "Our capital, our liquidity basis is very very strong," Koerner said. Earlier, Credit Suisse's largest shareholder, Saudi National Bank (1180.SE), said it would not buy more shares in the Swiss bank on regulatory grounds. A 30% drop in Credit Suisse shares triggered a 6% plus fall in the European banking index (.SX7P), while five-year credit default swaps (CDS) for the flagship Swiss bank hit a new record high, highlighting increasing investor concerns. Reporting by Noele Illien; editing by Dhara Ranasinghe and Amanda CooperOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

[1/2] The Credit Suisse logo adorns a sign at the entrance to their campus in Research Triangle Park in Morrisville, North Carolina, U.S., March 15, 2023. In its statement early Thursday, Credit Suisse said it is exercising its option to borrow from the Swiss National Bank up to 50 billion Swiss francs ($54 billion). They said the bank could access liquidity from the central bank if needed. Credit Suisse said it welcomed the statement of support from the Swiss National Bank and FINMA. The U.S. Treasury also said it is monitoring the situation around Credit Suisse and is in touch with global counterparts, a Treasury spokesperson said.

March 16 (Reuters) - Credit Suisse Group AG's (CSGN.S) average liquidity coverage ratio, a measure of how much cash-like assets the bank has, did not change between March 8 and March 14, the Swiss lender said on Thursday, despite the global banking crisis. The bank said in an earlier press release on March 16 that the 150% LCR value was as of March 14. Credit Suisse for months has been battling to regain the trust of clients and investors after a series of scandals and losses in recent years. By tapping the central bank for funds, the bank will be adding to liquidity if needed. A firm is viable when it generates sufficient income to stay in business and meets its obligations including payments and debt commitments.

March 15 (Reuters) - Swiss regulators pledged a liquidity lifeline to Credit Suisse (CSGN.S) in an unprecedented move by a central bank after the flagship Swiss lender's shares tumbled as much as 30% on Wednesday. They said the bank could access liquidity from the central bank if needed. Credit Suisse said it welcomed the statement of support from the Swiss National Bank and FINMA. Hoping to quell concerns, FINMA and the Swiss central bank said there were no indications of a direct risk of contagion for Swiss institutions from U.S. banking market turmoil. The logo of Swiss bank Credit Suisse is seen in front of an office building in Zurich, Switzerland October 26, 2022.

March 15 (Reuters) - Swiss regulators said Credit Suisse (CSGN.S) can access liquidity from the central bank if needed, racing to assuage fears around the lender after it led a rout in European bank shares on Wednesday. The U.S. Treasury is monitoring the situation around Credit Suisse and is in touch with global counterparts about it, a Treasury spokesperson said. They slid again as a crisis of confidence gripped Credit Suisse on Wednesday after its largest investor said it could not provide Credit Suisse with more financial assistance because of regulatory constraints. The logo of Swiss bank Credit Suisse is seen in front of an office building in Zurich, Switzerland October 26, 2022. Ralph Hamers, CEO of Credit Suisse rival UBS (UBSG.S) said market turmoil has steered more money its way.

Two supervisory sources told Reuters that the European Central Bank (ECB) had contacted banks on its watch to quiz them about their exposures to Credit Suisse. The Swiss National Bank declined to comment on Switzerland's second-largest bank, after its largest investor said it could not provide Credit Suisse with more financial assistance because of regulatory constraints. Credit Suisse had appealed to the Swiss National Bank and Swiss financial watchdog FINMA for a public show of support, the Financial Times reported. The logo of Swiss bank Credit Suisse is seen in front of an office building in Zurich, Switzerland October 26, 2022. Ralph Hamers, CEO of Credit Suisse rival UBS (UBSG.S) said market turmoil has steered more money its way.

☆ Credit Suisse shares down by a quarter, key backer says no more money
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Noele Illien | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Saudi National Bank (SNB) (1180.SE), which holds 9.88% of Credit Suisse, said it would not buy more shares in the Swiss bank on regulatory grounds. The Swiss bank's shares were down about 24% early afternoon on Wednesday, after hitting a new record low. Koerner had said earlier in the week Credit Suisse's liquidity coverage ratio averaged 150% in the first quarter of this year. The Swiss National Bank declined to comment on Credit Suisse's stock move. Five-year credit default swaps on Credit Suisse debt widened to 574 basis points from 549 bps at last close, based on data from S&P Global Market Intelligence, marking a new record high.

The drop in Credit Suisse shares led a 7% fall in the European banking index (.SX7P), while five-year credit default swaps (CDS) for the flagship Swiss bank hit a new record high, highlighting increasing investor concerns. We move from the problems of American banks to those of European banks, first of all Credit Suisse," said Carlo Franchini, head of institutional clients at Banca Ifigest in Milan. The Swiss National Bank declined to comment on Switzerland's second-largest bank, after its largest investor said it could not provide Credit Suisse with more financial assistance because of regulatory constrains. The logo of Swiss bank Credit Suisse is seen in front of an office building in Zurich, Switzerland October 26, 2022. Ralph Hamers, CEO of Credit Suisse rival UBS (UBSG.S) said it has benefited from market turmoil and seen money inflows.

March 15 (Reuters) - European bank stocks fell sharply on Wednesday, with embattled Credit Suisse (CSGN.S) tumbling to a new low, on renewed investor concerns about stresses within the sector triggered by Silicon Valley Bank's sudden collapse. A more than 20% drop in Credit Suisse shares led a 6% plus fall in the European banking index (.SX7P), while five-year credit default swaps (CDS) for the flagship Swiss bank hit a new record high, highlighting increasing investor concerns. We move from the problems of American banks to those of European banks, first of all Credit Suisse," said Carlo Franchini, head of institutional clients at Banca Ifigest in Milan. BlackRock (BLK.N) Chief Executive Laurence Fink warned on Wednesday that the U.S. regional banking sector remains at risk, and predicted further high inflation and rate increases. And in an attempt to avert a similar crisis down the line, the U.S. Federal Reserve is considering tougher rules and oversight for midsize banks similar in size to SVB.

☆ Credit Suisse sheds nearly 25%, key backer says no more money
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Noele Illien | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

It’s a regulatory issue," Saudi National Bank (1180.SE) chairman Ammar Al Khudairy said on Wednesday. The Saudi lender acquired a stake of almost 10% last year after taking part in Credit Suisse's capital raising and committed to investing up to 1.5 billion Swiss francs ($1.5 billion). Credit Suisse on Tuesday published its annual report for 2022 saying the bank had identified "material weaknesses" in controls over financial reporting and not yet stemmed customer outflows. Five-year credit default swaps on Credit Suisse debt widened to 574 basis points from 549 bps at last close, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence, marking a new record high. Earlier this week, Credit Suisse CEO Ulrich Koerner told a conference that the bank's liquidity coverage ratio averaged 150% in the first quarter of this year - well above regulatory requirements.

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