DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Singapore's DBS eyes Malaysian bank stakes in expansion push, Reuters reports
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-11 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Deliberations are in very early stages, however, the sources said, and any formal negotiations for an acquisition of a stake in a Malaysian bank would need approval from the Malaysian central bank, or Bank Negara Malaysia. "We do not comment on market rumors and speculation," said a spokesperson for DBS, Southeast Asia's biggest lender by assets. Alliance Bank, the second smallest listed bank in Malaysia by total assets, and Bank Negara Malaysia did not respond to requests for comment after business hours on Friday. DBS is the only Singaporean bank without a retail banking presence in Malaysia. Local rivals Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation and United Overseas Bank both have retail banking operations in Malaysia.

Persons: Piyush, Gupta, Tan Su Shan, Anwar Ibrahim Organizations: DBS Group Holdings, DBS, Alliance Bank Malaysia Bhd, Kuwait Finance House's, Bank Negara Malaysia, Temasek, Alliance Bank, Kuwait Finance House, Local, Oversea, Chinese Banking Corporation, United Overseas Bank, Gupta, Malaysian Locations: Malaysia, Singapore, Temasek, Kuwait, Malaysian, Bank, China, India, Indonesia, Taiwan

☆ Russia has lost another banking partner as more lenders turn their back on Moscow over fear of sanctions
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-09 | by ( Jennifer Sor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp will stop processing Russian transactions in November, Bloomberg reported. The Singaporean bank is following lenders in China, which have largely pulled back from Russia. AdvertisementAnother bank has turned its back on Russia as lenders grow worried about doing business with Moscow under threat of Western sanctions. The changes come as more lenders grow hesitant about doing deals with Russian clients after the West threatened to impose secondary sanctions on firms doing business in the country. A Russian state media outlet reported that nearly all Chinese banks have stopped processing payments from Russia out of fear of being targeted.

Persons: —, Oversea, hasn't Organizations: Chinese Banking Corp, Bloomberg, Service, Banking Corp, Business Locations: Russia, China, Moscow, Singapore, Russian

☆ Here’s why Japan’s stocks are plunging after Shigeru Ishiba’s win
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-30 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Japan's August retail sales climbed 2.8% year on year, beating Reuters poll estimates of a 2.3% rise, and up from a revised 2.7% rise in July. Ishida had beaten Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi in the final round of the Liberal Democratic Party election on Friday, sending the yen into a volatile session. A higher interest rate typically strengthens the yen and puts pressure on Japanese stock markets, which are heavily weighted by exporters. Chinese rally puts pressureThe Nikkei's decline on Monday also comes at a time when China's markets have been surging. Stock Chart Icon Stock chart icon

Persons: Shigeru Ishiba, Ishida, Sanae Takaichi, Ryota Abe, Takaichi, Ishiba, Abe, Steven Glass, CNBC's Organizations: Economic, Liberal Democratic Party, Bank of Japan, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, CNBC, Bank of, Pella Funds Management, CSI Locations: Tokyo, Japan, Pella, Hong

☆ The Fed can 'afford to be more patient' with rate cuts, strategist says
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-17 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailThe Fed can 'afford to be more patient' with rate cuts, strategist saysJeff Ng, head of Asia macro strategy at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, discusses the monetary policy divergence between the United States and Europe.

Persons: Jeff Ng Organizations: Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation Locations: Asia, United States, Europe

☆ China rolls out fresh property relief measures to stem the fallout from Evergrande's meltdown
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Yuheng Zhan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Officials in China are boosting property sector relief measures to blunt the impact of Evergrande's collapse. The new measures are part of a wider series of economy-boosting initiatives, especially in the real estate sector, which constitutes one-quarter of the country's economy. The crisis in the property sector stems from huge debt and overbuilding in the last decade, which has resulted in a liquidity crisis for many property developers, including Evergrande. The company's troubles sent country's property sector into a tailspin starting in 2022 when it defaulted on some of its offshore bonds. China is moving mountains to hold the real estate sector's crisis from pouring into other sectors.

Persons: — Organizations: Service, Beijing, China's Ministry of Housing, China Mingsheng Banking Corp, China Securities Journal, Guangzhou, Reuters, Bloomberg Locations: China, Hong Kong, Nanning, Guangxi, Chongqing, Suzhou, Shanghai, restructurings

☆ I'm poly and live with my husband and boyfriend. We make $155,000 combined and can finally buy a house.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Jennifer Martin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

I'm a millennial, which means I, like so many in my generation, have had a rough time financially. AdvertisementTo be clear, Ty and Daniel don't date; we're not a throuple. I date both men separately, and they don't date each other. Since he's not their legal guardian and I'm not his legal spouse, shared finances over a long period would help in court. But putting Daniel and Ty on a loan together is another way to ensure we're connected legally and financially.

Persons: —, I'm, homeownership, Daniel, polyamory, We'd, Ty, Daniel don't, we're, We're what's, he's, Jared Soares, haven't, we've, It's, who's Organizations: Service, Business, Finances, BI

☆ The 'Korea discount': Value stock or value trap?
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

A cameraman takes video footage of a stock index board showing South Korea's benchmark stock index (L) after a ceremony celebrating the New Year's opening of the South Korea stock market at the Korea Exchange in Seoul on January 2, 2023. Chaebol challengeIn South Korea, most market heavyweights are corporations called "chaebols," large family-owned global conglomerates that are usually controlled by the founder's family. However, IHS Markit highlighted in June last year that in South Korea, the ex-dividend date comes before the companies' dividend announcement dates. With such challenges, should investors be putting their money into South Korea stocks — or should they stay away? "If authorities continue to improve the investment environment further, the chances for the South Korean stock index to be included in the [MSCI World Index] will grow," he said.

Persons: Jung Yeon, JUNG YEON, Vikas Pershad, Jiang Zhang, Jeremy Tan, Zhang, Hebe Chen, Chen, Ryota Abe Organizations: South, Korea Exchange, Getty, Management, North, CNBC, Samsung Electronics, LG, SK, Hyundai, Samsung, Tiger Fund Management, IHS, South Korea's Financial Services Commission, IG International, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Locations: South Korea, Korea, Seoul, North Korea, Korea's, Southeast Asia

☆ Euro bounces as investors cling to sliver of positive euro zone data
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Amanda Cooper | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

REUTERS/Marcos Brindicci/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Nov 23 (Reuters) - The euro rose on Thursday for the first time this week, after data suggested the downturn in the euro zone economy may be starting to ease, although holidays in the United States and Japan kept trading activity muted. The euro rose broadly, gaining the most against the Swedish crown , after the Swedish central bank left rates unchanged, while also gaining on the yen and the Swiss franc. The survey showed the euro zone economy is on track to contract again in the fourth quarter. Its PMI rose to 43.8 from 43.1, beating the poll expectation for 43.4 but was still below breakeven. Sterling was last up 0.5% on the day at $1.2558, having risen to a high of $1.2575 after the PMI data.

Persons: Marcos Brindicci, There's, Michael Brown, Brown, Geert Wilders, Sterling, Jeremy Hunt, Jeff Ng, Changpeng Zhao, Vidya Ranganathan, Lincoln, Emelia Organizations: REUTERS, Swiss, PMI, European Central Bank, Fed, University of Michigan, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Markets, Bank of Japan, Thomson Locations: Buenos Aires, Argentina, United States, Japan, Germany, Swedish, EU, Wednesday's, Netherlands, Asia, Singapore

☆ Holiday thins trading after data slows dollar's decline
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Vidya Ranganathan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

With markets shut in Japan and the United States for the Thanksgiving holiday, currencies barely moved and cash U.S. Treasuries weren't traded in Asia. By 0530 GMT, however, the euro was 0.15% higher at $1.0902 and the dollar index was a tad weaker at 103.71. Adding to investors' confusion, data showed orders for long-lasting U.S. manufactured goods fell more than expected in October, signalling an economy cooling considerably after hot third-quarter growth. The dollar's rebound comes after a three-week long spell of weakness driven by evidence of a slowing economy and disinflation, leading markets to price out any additional Fed rate hikes. The forward-looking flash November purchasing manager indexes (PMIs) are also due out globally on Thursday and should help investors assess recession risks and how quickly rate cuts will begin.

Persons: Marcos Brindicci, Treasuries weren't, Jeff Ng, Treasuries, policymaker Mario Centeno, Joachim Nagel, Sterling, Jeremy Hunt, Changpeng Zhao, Vidya Ranganathan, Lincoln Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, U.S, Federal, University of Michigan, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Fed, Bank of Japan, European Central Bank, Governing, PMI, Thomson Locations: Buenos Aires, Argentina, Rights SINGAPORE, Japan, United States, Asia, Britain, U.S

☆ Holiday thins trading after data nudges dollar higher
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

With markets shut in Japan and the United States for the Thanksgiving holiday, currencies barely moved and cash U.S. Treasuries weren't traded in Asia. The dollar index rose overnight, bouncing from a 2-1/2 month low, after economic data showed the number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits fell more than expected last week. The weakness in the dollar has buoyed the yen , along with expectations the Bank of Japan may shift away from its ultra-loose monetary policy next year. The dollar index was just 0.03% lower at 103.84, with the euro unchanged at $1.0887. The forward-looking flash November purchasing manager indexes, or PMIs, are also due out globally on Thursday and should help investors assess recession risks and how quickly rate cuts will begin.

Persons: Treasuries weren't, Jeff Ng, Treasuries, policymaker Mario Centeno, Joachim Nagel, Sterling, Jeremy Hunt, Changpeng Zhao Organizations: U.S ., Federal Reserve, University of Michigan, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Fed, Bank of Japan, European Central Bank, Governing, PMI Locations: Japan, United States, Asia, Britain, U.S

They said some battery operators are already supplying back-up power to grids at a price competitive with gas power plants, meaning gas will be used less. British independent Carlton Power dropped plans for an 800 million pound ($997 million) gas power plant in Manchester, northern England, in 2016. MODELS UNDER SCRUTINYDevelopers can no longer use financial modelling that assumes gas power plants are used constantly throughout their 20-year-plus lifetime, analysts said. Many countries world-wide, but especially in Europe, provide payments for standby power plants through capacity markets. In Europe, 40 million electric vehicles are expected by 2030, capable of displacing around one third of the region's gas power capacity, according to Kaluza.

Persons: Andrew Boyers, Carlton Power, Keith Clarke, Clarke, Carlton, Nigel Scott, Banks, Simon Virley, Helen Sanders, Sanders, Carlton's Clarke, Sarah McFarlane, Susanna Twidale, Simon Webb, Barbara Lewis Organizations: REUTERS, U.S, Global Energy Monitor, Power Ventures, Carlton, Carlton Power, Reuters, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Investors, Electricity, KPMG, Union, Octopus Energy, Thomson Locations: Finedon, Britain, Europe, United States, New Jersey, Manchester, England, London

A pedestrian looks at his phone as he walks past a logo for Australia's Westpac Banking Corp located outside a branch in central Sydney, Australia, November 5, 2018. REUTERS/David Gray/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Westpac Banking Corp (WBC.AX), Australia's third largest bank by market capitalisation, said on Monday it would raise A$750 million ($488.1 million) in an Additional Tier 1 (AT1) capital transaction. The AT1 bonds are used by banks to stabilise cashflow in periods of stress, according to APRA. Under that deal, holders of Credit Suisse AT1 bonds received nothing, while shareholders, who usually rank below bondholders in terms of who gets paid when a bank or company collapses, received $3.23 billion. ($1 = 1.5366 Australian dollars)Reporting by Scott Murdoch in Sydney; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Stephen CoatesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: David Gray, Stephen Jones, Scott Murdoch, Muralikumar Anantharaman, Stephen Coates Organizations: Australia's Westpac Banking Corp, REUTERS, Rights, Westpac Banking Corp, Westpac, prudential, Credit Suisse, APRA, Credit Suisse AT1s, Commonwealth Bank, Credit, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Australia

☆ Goldman leads new funding for Fnality blockchain payments firm
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Huw Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Goldman Sachs company logo is on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange in New York City, U.S., July 13, 2021. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Nov 14 (Reuters) - Fnality, a blockchain-based wholesale payments firm, said on Tuesday it has raised 77.7 million pounds ($95.09 million) in a second round of funding backed by Goldman Sachs and other blue chip financial firms as it awaits Bank of England approval to start operations. UK-based Fnality seeks to bridge the gap between mainstream and digital finance to cut the time and cost of settling, managing collateral and making payments for financial market transactions. Fnality said the round was led by Goldman Sachs and BNP Paribas, with participation from settlement houses DTCC and Euroclear, as well as Nomura and WisdomTree. Finality raised 55 million pounds in its first whip round in June 2019.

Persons: Goldman Sachs, Brendan McDermid, Fnality, Mathew McDermott, Goldman's, Huw Jones, Susan Fenton Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, of, BNP, Nomura, Banco Santander, BNY Mellon, Barclays, CIBC, Commerzbank, ING, Lloyds Banking Group, Nasdaq Ventures, Street, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, UBS, Sterling, Bank of England, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, DTCC

☆ Aussie 'big four' banks hike home loan rates after RBA decision
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

People use Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) bank ATMs in Sydney, Australia May 3, 2018. The National Australia Bank (NAB.AX), ANZ Group Holdings (ANZ.AX) and Westpac Banking Corp (WBC.AX), the other three of Australia's "big four", had hiked their home loan rates on Wednesday by 0.25%. The rate hike by the National Australia Bank (NAB.AX) and ANZ Group Holdings (ANZ.AX) would be effective from Nov. 17, while Westpac Banking Corp (WBC.AX) would raise rates from Nov. 21, the lenders said in separate statements on Wednesday. CBA said its home loan variable rate change would be effective from Nov. 17. Reporting by Rishav Chatterjee and Upasana Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Savio D'Souza and Rashmi AichOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Edgar Su, Rishav Chatterjee, Upasana Singh, Savio D'Souza, Rashmi Organizations: Commonwealth Bank of Australia, REUTERS, Thursday, National Australia Bank, ANZ Group Holdings, Westpac Banking Corp, Reserve Bank of Australia, Wednesday, CBA, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Australia, Bengaluru

The results show how Australia's retail banks are leaning into businesses outside their traditional earnings engine of mortgages as higher interest rates raise the cost of repayments, spurring competition which has flattened profit margins. Sydney-listed Westpac said profit from its consumer division, which has just over one-fifth of Australian mortgages, shrank 7% in its full-year to end-September. Westpac gave no profit forecasts but said April-to-September trading was "more challenging" than the previous six months and "this is expected to continue into 2024". "If that does eventuate, interest rates will probably need to be higher than what we're thinking," he said on a call with analysts and media. Westpac declared a final dividend of 72 Australian cents per share, up from 64 Australian cents a year earlier.

Persons: David Gray, Azib Khan, Peter King, We've, Byron Kaye, Roushni Nair, Upasana Singh, Andrew Heavens, Josie Kao, Aurora Ellis Organizations: Australia's Westpac Banking Corp, REUTERS, Westpac, Commonwealth Bank, National Australia Bank, ANZ, Sydney, midsession, P Capital, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Australia, Ukraine, Bengaluru

DBS, which is also Southeast Asia's largest lender, has already forecast a record full-year profit for the current year. "Net profit (for 2024) to be maintained around record 2023 level," CEO Piyush Gupta said in results presentation materials. The bank's July-September net profit rose to S$2.63 billion ($1.94 billion) from S$2.24 billion a year earlier as total income grew to a record on higher interest margins and fee income. Besides higher global interest rates, Singapore banks have benefitted from strong inflows of wealth drawn in by the city-state's political stability. Smaller peer United Overseas Bank (UOBH.SI) reported in end-October a weaker-than-expected 1% drop in third-quarter net profit.

Persons: Ann Wang, Piyush Gupta, Gupta, Yantoultra Ngui, Josie Kao Organizations: DBS, REUTERS, Bank, Q3 SINGAPORE, LSEG, United Overseas Bank, Chinese Banking Corp, Thomson Locations: Taipei, Taiwan, Singapore

☆ Singapore's largest bank DBS beats forecast, quarterly profit jumps 17%
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Shreyashi Sanyal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The Singapore bank also declared a dividend of 48 Singapore cents for each ordinary share for the third quarter. It was higher that analysts' estimates compiled by LSEG, which predicted a quarterly profit estimate of SG$2.5 billion for the July to September quarter. During the quarter, net profit rose to 2.63 billion Singaporean dollars ($1.94 billion) compared to SG$2.24 billion a year ago. Southeast Asia's largest lender DBS Group reported a 17% jump in third-quarter profit on Monday, benefiting from a high-interest rate environment. Smaller rival United Overseas Bank posted a 1% drop in third-quarter net profit in October, missing analysts' expectations.

Persons: Piyush Gupta, Gupta Organizations: LSEG, DBS Group, DBS, United Overseas Bank, Chinese Banking Corporation Locations: Singapore

☆ Australia's Westpac warns of $109 mln hit to fiscal 2023 profit
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The bank sees an increase in provisions for customer refunds and associated payments and restructuring costs, among others, in fiscal 2023. Westpac reported a net profit attributable of A$5.69 billion in fiscal 2022. The company noted that the notable items recorded in fiscal 2023 are significantly lower than the notable items of A$874 million recorded in fiscal 2022. The net impact of these one-off items will reduce the bank's common equity tier 1 capital ratio by 4 basis points, it added. ($1 = 1.5855 Australian dollars)(This story has been corrected to say Westpac warns of a hit, not lower fiscal 2023 profit, in the headline)Reporting by Roushni Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh KuberOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Loren Elliott, Roushni Nair, Shailesh Organizations: Westpac, Central Business District of, REUTERS, Westpac Banking Corp, Thomson Locations: Central Business District of Sydney, Australia, Bengaluru

HONG KONG (AP) — Chinese property developer Country Garden warned Tuesday that it cannot repay on time a 470 million Hong Kong dollar ($60 million) loan in the latest sign of distress after Beijing clamped down on mounting debts in the industry. The company said its sales were under “remarkable pressure.”Country Garden earlier had been hailed as a model real estate company by Chinese authorities. Country Garden's sales slumped nearly 44% in January-September from the same period a year earlier, the company said. Since there has not been an industry-wide improvement in property sales, Country Garden said “its liquidity position is expected to remain very tight in the short- to medium-term.”However the company is still finishing and delivering residential housing. Country Garden had more than $180 billion in liabilities as of June.

Persons: Evergrande Organizations: Hong Kong, Hong Kong Stock Exchange, China Minsheng Banking Corporation, Hong, Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Locations: HONG KONG, Beijing, China, Hong Kong

☆ Asia stocks slump as bond selloff spooks markets
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-04 | by ( Tom Westbrook | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The spike in Treasury yields lifted the dollar to new heights with only the yen showing some fight amid speculation the Japanese authorities might be intervening behind the scenes. The yen breached the 150-per-dollar level in the London afternoon on Tuesday before suddenly shooting to 147.3. There was no confirmation from Tokyo, where Japan's finance minister and top currency diplomat have made no direct comment on the move. In commodity markets, the stronger dollar has helped put the brakes on oil prices and higher yields have weighed on gold. Brent crude futures were last steady at $90.87 a barrel, having hit an 11-month high of $97.69 last week.

Persons: Issei Kato, it's, Mel Siew, Ryota Abe, Kit Juckes, Tom Westbrook, Jamie Freed, Kim Coghill Organizations: U.S ., REUTERS, Japan's Nikkei, Muzinich, Co, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, New Zealand, Federal, Treasury, Brent, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, Asia, SINGAPORE, London, Pacific, Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysian

☆ Not much exciting about Aussie banks as high costs pressure earnings - Macquarie
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Australia's "Big Four" banks - among the top seven listed companies in the country - control 75% of the country's A$2 trillion mortgage market. That euphoria is now largely over as high living costs impact borrowers' capacity to repay loans. Macquarie, an investment bank with a small retail banking operation, said banks' cost bases are likely to remain under pressure as more than 70% of their expenses related to personnel. Macquarie added that it expects banks' expenses to grow by around 1% to 7% in fiscal 2023 through to fiscal 2025, with third-biggest lender Westpac Banking Corp (WBC.AX) seen being impacted more than its peers. The regional banks will remain disadvantaged in the current environment as they will have to continue to invest to keep up, Macquarie said, estimating up to 4% higher expenses than consensus.

Persons: Macquarie, Sameer Manekar, Janane Organizations: Macquarie, Westpac Banking Corp, ANZ Group Holdings, CBA, NAB, Adelaide Bank, Bank of Queensland, Thomson Locations: Bendigo, Bengaluru

☆ Not much exciting about Aussie banks as high costs pressure earnings, Macquarie says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Persons: Loren Elliott, Macquarie, Sameer Manekar, Janane Organizations: Central Business, REUTERS, Macquarie, Westpac Banking Corp, ANZ Group Holdings, CBA, NAB, Adelaide Bank, Bank of Queensland, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Australia, Bendigo, Bengaluru

☆ Aussie lender NAB to cut 222 back-office jobs, says trade union
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( Poonam Behura | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The National Australia Bank Logo is seen on a branch in central Sydney, Australia, February 8, 2018. REUTERS/Daniel Munoz Acquire Licensing RightsSept 6 (Reuters) - National Australia Bank (NAB.AX) is planning to cut 222 back-office jobs, the Finance Sector Union (FSU) said in an emailed response to Reuters. FSU, a white-collar trade union, said NAB’s restructuring will impact its departments such as Personal Direct Lending, Technology and Operations, Corporate Finance and Client Coverage. "This means certain roles may no longer be required or need to be moved to support other teams." NAB reported a 5% jump in third-quarter cash earnings in August, including a decline in its margins due to higher home lending competition and deposit costs.

Persons: Daniel Munoz, Julia Angrisano, Poonam, Shilpi Majumdar, Devika Organizations: National, REUTERS, National Australia Bank, Finance Sector Union, FSU, Reuters, Technology, Corporate Finance, NAB, Australian, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Westpac Banking Corp, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Australia, Bengaluru

☆ Westpac acknowledges legal proceedings on financial hardships negligence
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Loren Elliott Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies Westpac Banking Corp FollowSept 4 (Reuters) - Australia's Westpac Banking Corp (WBC.AX) on Tuesday said it was aware of legal proceedings launched by the country's corporate regulator alleging the lender's failure to assist its customers with financial hardship notices between 2015 and 2022. The legal proceedings are linked with a "technology failure" in which the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) claimed 229 applications for financial hardship assistance logged between 2015 and 2022 were not evaluated within 21 days, Westpac said in an email response to Reuters. "This error meant we didn't provide some of our customers with the help they needed. For this, we are deeply sorry," said Westpac Group Chief Information Officer Scott Collary. Over the alleged period of breach, Westpac received about 630,000 applications for hardship assistance, the company told Reuters.

Persons: Loren Elliott, Scott Collary, Roushni Nair, Sandra Maler Organizations: Westpac, Central Business District of, REUTERS, Rights Companies Westpac Banking, Australia's Westpac Banking Corp, Australian Securities and Investments Commission, Reuters, Westpac Group, Australia's National, Thomson Locations: Central Business District of Sydney, Australia, Bengaluru

SummaryCompanies ATM, branch, card services restored -OCBCBank on standby to deploy additional resourcesLarger peer DBS faced 6.5-hour disruption in MayAug 28 (Reuters) - Singapore's second-biggest bank, Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp (OCBC) (OCBC.SI), restored ATM, branch and card services on Monday after grappling with technical problems that disrupted various banking channels. OCBC, which is also Southeast Asia's second biggest lender by assets, had taken to its social media accounts earlier to warn of the issues that began at 8.33 a.m.Internet banking, mobile banking and Velocity arrangements were still affected, an OCBC spokesperson said in a response to Reuters. "We are on standby to deploy additional resources at branches and extend branch banking hours," the spokesperson added. "Our channels were impacted by a technical problem, affecting consumer and business banking customers." On May 5, the digital banking services of larger peer DBS (DBSM.SI) faced a 6-1/2-hour disruption.

Persons: Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Lavanya Ahire, Yantoultra Ngui, Kim Coghill, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: OCBC Bank, DBS, Chinese Banking Corp, Reuters, Monetary Authority of Singapore, Thomson Locations: Oversea, Bengaluru, Singapore

Search resuls for: "Banking Corp"

25 mentions found