DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Benko's complex web at Signa - from Chrysler building to Berlin landmark
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

SIGNA PRIME/PROPERTY PORTFOLIOAccording to Signa, Prime is the group's largest company in its real estate division, valued at around 20.4 billion euros ($22.23 billion). Since 2019 Signa Holding has also been a co-owner of New York's iconic Chrysler Building. TRADING/RETAIL COMPANIESBenko has bundled his trading interests under the divisions Signa Retail and Signa Premium. In Switzerland, Benko's trading investments are bundled into Signa Retail Selection AG, which filed for bankruptcy protection on Wednesday. In 2018, Signa Holding bought around 24% stake in Austrian daily newspapers "Krone" and "Kurier" from Funke media group.

Persons: Lisi Niesner, Rene Benko, Ernst Tanner, Hans Peter Haselsteiner, Torsten Toeller, Arthur Eugster, SIGNA, Signa, Otto Wagner, Benko's, Klaus, Michael Kuehne, Kuehne, Hamburg's, Chirathivat, Benko, Frasers, Kaufhof, Karstadt, Galeria, Alexandra Schwarz, Goerlich, Mattias Inverardi, Victoria Farr, Emma, Rachel More, Elisa Martinuzzi, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: Signa, REUTERS, Chrysler, Bank Austria, Femina, Chrysler Building, . Central Group, Globus, Selfridges, Central Group, Funke, Thomson Locations: Berlin, Germany, New, Britain's Selfridges, Innsbruck, Swiss, Vienna, Hamburg, KaDeWe, Oberpollinger, Munich, Vienna's, Tyrol, Essen, Duesseldorf, London, Switzerland

Its 2022 annual report, filed on January 19, said the deal desk should review any deals greater than $500,000. SUSE sales growth was slowing at the time. Reuters could not determine if the deal was vetted by the deal desk nor how many deals have been going through the unit. SUSE and Reuters parent company, Thomson Reuters, are involved in litigation over the use of SUSE software products. SUSE claims that Thomson Reuters breached the terms that allegedly governed its use of SUSE software products.

Persons: SUSE, Reuters wasn't, EQT, Melissa Di Donato, Di Donato greenlighted, Di Donato, Eskom, BNY, BNY Mellon, Di, Christian Strenger, Di Donato's, Thomson, Karin Strohecker, Stefania Spezzati, Emma, Victoria Farr, Elisa Martinuzzi, Daniel Flynn Organizations: Microsoft, BMW, Sales, Reuters, Bank of New York Mellon, BNY Mellon, BNY, Corporate Governance Institute, Frankfurt School of Finance & Management, Thomson Reuters, Thomson Locations: Frankfurt

The sources said the UAE would provide the bulk of the money and private equity firm TPG and infrastructure investor Brookfield would also be involved. Two sources said the money would be overseen by UAE-backed investor Lunate Capital. A view of Dubai's Expo City during the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) Climate Summit in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, November 30, 2023. REUTERS/Amr Alfiky Acquire Licensing RightsA second source said BlackRock, TPG and Brookfield would allocate money currently housed in other funds to the UAE fund and that talks over the fund began after the summer and carried on through October. Additional reporting by Andres Gonzales, Anousha Sakoui and Elisa Martinuzzi in London Editing by Susan FentonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Lunate, Amr Alfiky, Andres Gonzales, Anousha Sakoui, Elisa Martinuzzi, Susan Fenton Organizations: Lunate, BlackRock, TPG, Brookfield, United, Reuters, Lunate Capital, Financial Times, Dubai's, United Nations, Change, United Arab Emirates, REUTERS, UAE, COP28, Thomson Locations: UAE, DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Dubai, United Arab, BlackRock, Brookfield, London

☆ Exclusive: European fund giant Amundi dipping toe back into Turkey's lira
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Marc Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A logo of Amundi is seen outside the company headquarters in Paris, France, February 3, 2023. REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Nov 28 (Reuters) - Amundi, Europe's largest asset manager, has started dipping its toe back into the Turkish lira it says having been impressed by the country's turnaround efforts since its mid-year elections. "We have started to cover our underweight in Turkish lira a few weeks ago," Sergei Strigo, Amundi's co-Head of Emerging Markets Fixed Income, told Reuters, referring to the process of taking a more positive view on the currency. "We are not yet ready to increase the allocation (in the lira) but it is definitely on our radar screen." Additional reporting by Karin Strohecker in London and Jonathan Spicer in Istanbul; editing by Elisa MartinuzziOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Sarah Meyssonnier, Sergei Strigo, Amundi's, Strigo, Karin Strohecker, Jonathan Spicer, Elisa Martinuzzi Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, Turkey, London, Istanbul

☆ Signa unit files for insolvency as crisis at Benko's empire deepens -Spiegel
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

FRANKFURT, Nov 24 (Reuters) - Signa Real Estate Management Germany filed an official application for bankruptcy at the Berlin Charlottenburg district court, German magazine Spiegel reported on Friday, as the crisis at Rene Benko's property group deepens. Separately, Austrian newspaper Der Standard said a bankruptcy filing for Signa Group could come next Tuesday, citing a source. Meetings of Signa employees are planned for the same day, when employees will be given information about the insolvency and further steps, the paper reported. Signa Group declined to comment when contacted by Reuters. The Signa group has holdings of 27 billion euros ($28.8 billion) and 25 billion euros in development.

Persons: Spiegel, Rene Benko's, Benko, Signa, Emma, Victoria Farr, Matthias Inverardi, John O'Donnell, Elisa Martinuzzi, Louise Heavens Organizations: Estate Management, Signa, Reuters, Thomson Locations: FRANKFURT, Estate Management Germany, Berlin Charlottenburg, Austria, Germany, Europe's

[1/3] Richard Teng, head of the Middle East and North Africa for crypto firm Binance gestures as he speaks during an interview with Reuters in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, March 30, 2022. Teng faces an especially tough task in transforming the culture of Binance, four of the people said. Still, leading a cultural shift at Binance - a firm shaped by Zhao in his own image - would be "hugely difficult," she said. For years it dominated the crypto market, but this year has rapidly lost market share. Last month it controlled 32% of crypto spot and 50% of derivatives trading, according to crypto firm CCData, down from 55% and 62% respectively in January.

Persons: Richard Teng, Abdel Hadi Ramahi, Teng, Changpeng Zhao, Janet Yellen, Binance, Carol Alexander, Zhao, Yi He, Binance's, Simon Matthews, Richard, Matthews, FinCEN, John Reed Stark, Rajeev Bamra, OKX, Joseph Edwards, Tom Wilson, Elizabeth Howcroft, Elisa Martinuzzi, Louise Heavens Organizations: Reuters, United Arab Emirates, REUTERS, U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, SEC, U.S, Treasury, University of Sussex, Investors, Treasury's, Internet Enforcement, Singapore, Abu, Abu Dhabi Global, Singapore Exchange, Moody's Investors Service, Securities, Thomson Locations: East, North Africa, Dubai, United Arab, U.S, Abu Dhabi, France, Seychelles, London

☆ UniCredit, RBI among banks on hook for $2.4 bln in Signa loans -source
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Alexandra Schwarz-Goerlich | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

RBI, which the person said had sharply reduced its exposure to the Signa group in recent years, declined to comment on Thursday. The European Central Bank (ECB), which supervises the banks, declined to comment. Raiffeisen Landesbank Niederoesterreich-Wien, Raiffeisen Landesbank Oberoesterreich and Erste Group are also among the banks with exposures to Signa, the person said. The other two Austrian banks declined to comment. A spokesperson for Austria's central bank said it had no concerns about the country's financial stability, when asked about Signa's financial position.

Persons: UniCredit, Signa, Rene Benko, Fitch, Landesbank, Banks, Arndt Geiwitz, Francesco Canepa, Tom Sims, Elisa Martinuzzi, Alexander Smith Organizations: Signa Group, Chrysler, Raiffeisen Bank, Bank, European Central Bank, ECB, Reuters, Erste Group, Erste, Austria's National Bank, Market Authority, Thomson Locations: VIENNA, Banks, Austria, Bank Austria, Wien

☆ Analysis: WeWork's troubles darken outlook for embattled office market
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( Sinead Cruise | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Backed by Japan's SoftBank, WeWork aimed to revolutionise the office market by taking long leases on large properties and renting the space to multiple smaller businesses on more flexible, shorter arrangements. Some leveraged property investors could struggle to earn enough rental income to service rising debt costs, they said. The number and volume of real estate loans due for refinancing in 2024 is unclear because many deals are struck privately between borrower and lender, Ed Daubeney, co-head, debt and structured finance, EMEA, at real estate services firm Jones Lang LaSalle, told Reuters. U.S. industrial and office real estate investment trusts (REITs) were seen 35.8% more likely to default, versus expectations a year ago. "We're at a massive turning point in the real estate investment market globally," Jose Pellicer, head of real estate strategy at M&G Real Estate, said.

Persons: Kate Munsch, Japan's SoftBank, WeWork, Jeffrey Havsy, Ed Daubeney, Jones Lang LaSalle, Savills, refinancings, What's, MSCI, Jefferies, Jose Pellicer, Sinead Cruise, Elisa Martinuzzi, Mark Potter Organizations: REUTERS, Media, Real Estate, Reuters, Analysts, Europe, Flex, BNP, G, Thomson Locations: San Francisco , California, U.S, York, New York, London, United States, Europe, Britain, Germany, California

☆ WeWork's troubles darken outlook for embattled office market
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( Sinead Cruise | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

The Swiss National Bank and the Swiss Finance Ministry are part of the conversations with lenders, one source said. A representative for the finance ministry said that the issue of bank runs is part of an overall evaluation of the too-big-to-fail regulatory framework in Switzerland. Regulators worldwide have since been grappling with the risk of bank runs, which in the era of digital banking have accelerated in speed. Financial regulators will need to make sure that banks retain adequate financial buffers as advances in technology increase the risk of bank runs, Bank of England executive director for markets, Andrew Hauser, said on Friday at a conference in London. They risk penalizing Swiss banks if they were to be introduced only in Switzerland, one of the sources said.

Persons: SNB, Zürcher, PostFinance, Raiffeisen, Andrew Hauser, Thomas Jordan, Stefania Spezzati, Oliver Hirt, Elisa Martinuzzi, John O'Donnell, Paritosh Bansal, Nick Zieminski Organizations: UBS, Swiss National Bank, Swiss Finance Ministry, Reuters, Swiss, Raiffeisen, Credit Suisse, Regulators, Bank of England, Thomson Locations: ZURICH, Switzerland, Swiss, Zurich, U.S, London, Bern

☆ World Bank Eyes Speeding up Loan Approvals Amid Bold Overhaul
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

Disbursements currently take an average of 27 months from the time the bank gets a loan request. Adding resources to the implementation stage of projects backed by the bank is another way of reducing the timeframe of disbursements, Mountfield said. The World Bank has launched a broader reform process that includes stretching its balance sheet as international threats from geopolitical tensions to global warming pile pressure on vulnerable nations. The United States, the bank's largest shareholder, has been urging the bank for months to take bolder and faster steps to free up resources. The study, carried out by international finance analytics firm Risk Control, found the bank's two main lending arms, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA), have "significant headroom" to boost lending.

Persons: Rosario, Elisa Martinuzzi, Ed Mountfield, Mountfield, Disbursements, Jorgelina, Christina Fincher Organizations: Elisa Martinuzzi LONDON, Bank, Operations, Country Services, World Bank, Reuters, AAA, Rockefeller Foundation, International Bank for Reconstruction, International Development Association, IDA Locations: London, United States

About five teams around Europe including Ineos Grenadiers are involved in the early-stage talks and more could join, the people said. Tour de France champion Jonas Vingegaard’s Jumbo-Visma team is also involved in the talks, one of them said. Amaury Sports Organisation (ASO) controls the Tour de France and La Vuelta while the Giro d'Italia is controlled by RCS Sports. This is not the first time cycling teams have explored a new cycling league project. Eight teams founded a league project called World Series Cycling (WSC) at the end of 2012 but the plans failed to materialise.

Persons: Jonas Vingegaard’s Jumbo, Spokespeople, EY, Amy, Jo Crowley, Anousha Sakoui, Julien Pretot, Andres Gonzalez, Elisa Martinuzzi, Hugh Lawson Organizations: Reuters, Ineos Grenadiers, de France, Partners, Formula, Tour de France, La Vuelta, Amaury Sports Organisation, La, RCS Sports, Thomson Locations: Europe

CVC targets an IPO that would value the company at more than 10 billion euros, the people said, with the company placing around 10% of its share capital, one of the people said. The private equity firm's partners are not expected to sell stock through the IPO, the people said. Blue Owl, CVC, GIC and HKMA declined to comment. On-road payments provider DKV Mobility, in which CVC has a minority holding, decided to defer its IPO plans because of volatile markets, Reuters reported earlier this month. London-headquartered CVC, which oversees more than 160 billion euros in assets, is striving to transform itself into a diversified asset manager.

Persons: de, Singapore's GIC, Renk, DIF, Glendower, Pablo Mayo Cerqueiro, Elisa Martinuzzi, Barbara Lewis Organizations: REUTERS, Partners, Reuters, CVC, Hong Kong Monetary Authority, Kuwait Investment Authority, DKV Mobility, Thomson Locations: Amsterdam, Netherlands, Kuwait, London

High funding needs and central banks removing support are increasing pricing uncertainty for investors, Sophia Drossos, hedge fund Point72 Asset Management's chief economist, said. Spending plans lacking credibility were seen as most likely to spark market turmoil. I suspect not by default, but when markets start reflecting their worries in Treasury prices, by a political crisis and a potentially ugly adjustment," the former IMF chief economist said. "We need more investment, not less," said King's College London professor Jonathan Portes, Britain's cabinet office chief economist during the financial crisis. Not enough reforms are being implemented, OECD chief economist Clare Lombardelli warned.

Persons: Andrew Kelly, Peter Praet, Praet, Sophia Drossos, Daniel Ivascyn, Claudio Borio, Olivier Blanchard, Ray Dalio, Janet Yellen's, Yellen, Jim Leaviss, Giancarlo Giorgetti, Daleep Singh, Joe Biden, Britain's, Yellen's, Jonathan Portes, Clare Lombardelli, Moritz Kraemer, Yoruk Bahceli, Maria Martinez, Leigh Thomas, Giuseppe Fonte, Nell Mackenzie, Naomi Rovnick, William Schomberg, Jan Strupczewski, Dan Burns, Elisa Martinuzzi, Riddhima Talwani, Jayaram, Emelia Sithole Organizations: Financial, of, REUTERS, Institute of International Finance, Reuters, European Central Bank, ECB, Bank for International, Peterson Institute for International Economics, Associates, U.S . Treasury, Wall, Economy, Britain's Treasury, Congressional, Britain's, Institution, Reuters Graphics ACT, King's College London, Labour Party, OECD, Graphics, Thomson Locations: of Manhattan , New York City, U.S, Italy, Britain, United States, Europe, Ukraine, Berlin, Paris, Rome, London, Brussels, Washington, Marrakech

High funding needs and central banks removing support are increasing pricing uncertainty for investors, Sophia Drossos, hedge fund Point72 Asset Management's chief economist, said. Spending plans lacking credibility were seen as most likely to spark market turmoil. I suspect not by default, but when markets start reflecting their worries in Treasury prices, by a political crisis and a potentially ugly adjustment," the former IMF chief economist said. Italy's 2.4 trillion-euro debt pile is the focus in Europe, where the IMF has said high debt leaves governments vulnerable to crisis. "We need more investment, not less," said King's College London professor Jonathan Portes, Britain's cabinet office chief economist during the financial crisis.

☆ Key takeaways from the IMF/World Bank meetings
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Global inflation is seen dropping from 6.9% this year to a still-high 5.8% next. Italian central bank governor Ignazio Visco said there was an impression markets were "reevaluating the term premium" as investors become more nervous about holding longer term debt. One debt restructuring deal emerged: Zambia finally agreed a debt rework memorandum of understanding with creditors including China and France. Sri Lanka said on Thursday it reached an agreement with the Export-Import Bank of China covering about $4.2 billion of debt, while talks with other official creditors are stalling. There was much talk ahead of Marrakech on revamping the IMF and World Bank to better reflect the emergence of economies like China and Brazil.

Persons: Ajay Banga, Mercy Tembon, Finance Serhiy Marchenko, Ceda Ogada, Kristalina Georgieva, Pierre, Olivier Gourinchas, Ignazio Visco, Joyce Chang, Vitor Gaspar, Mehmet Simsek, Murat Ulgen, Kate Donald, Ahmed El Jechtimi, Andrea Shalal, David Lawder, Leika Kihara, Elisa Martinuzzi, Rachel Savage, Jorgelina, Rosario, Balazs Koranyi, Mark John, Christina Fincher Organizations: Bank, Finance, International Monetary Fund, Emerging, Research, HSBC, Reuters, Export, Import Bank of, World Bank, Oxfam International's Washington DC Office, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, MARRAKECH, Morocco, Moroccan, Marrakech, Israel, Central, United States, China, Italy, Italian, Turkey, Kenya, Zambia, France, Sri Lanka, Import Bank of China, Brazil, U.S

REUTERS/Susana Vera Acquire Licensing RightsMARRAKECH, Oct 14 (Reuters) - Ukraine is finding it harder to secure financial support as the attention of officials in key donor countries shifts to upcoming elections and geopolitical tensions heighten, Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko told Reuters on Saturday. As the war with Russia rages on, Ukraine needs to secure Western financial support to cover a $43 billion budget gap in 2024. Marchenko said "a geopolitical shift and internal political context in different countries" was dampening governments' appetite to support Ukraine, mentioning elections scheduled in the U.S. and the European Union next year. Marchenko said Ukraine is seeking 18 billion euros of that in 2024, matching the package received for this year. Ukraine's economy is set to grow 5% in 2024, Marchenko told the meetings earlier this week, and sufficient gas storage for the winter should buttress the economy from a potential rise in prices, he told Reuters.

Persons: Finance Serhiy Marchenko, Susana Vera, Serhiy Marchenko, Marchenko, Jorgelina, Rosario, Elisa Martinuzzi, Helen Popper Our Organizations: Finance, Reuters, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, REUTERS, Rights, Bank, European Union, IMF, EU, Thomson Locations: Marrakech, Morocco, Rights MARRAKECH, Ukraine, Russia, Israel, U.S, Japan, United Kingdom, United States

☆ Italy not tied to any deadline to exit Monte Paschi, FinMin says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

View of the entrance to the headquarters of Monte dei Paschi di Siena (MPS), the oldest bank in the world, which is facing massive layoffs as part of a planned corporate merger, in Siena, Italy, August 11, 2021. REUTERS/Jennifer Lorenzini/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsMARRAKECH, Oct 13 (Reuters) - Italy will exit bailed-out bank Monte dei Paschi di Siena (MPS) (BMPS.MI) when market conditions are appropriate as it is not tied to any deadline, Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti said on Friday. After a failed attempt to sell the bank to UniCredit (CRDI.MI) in 2021, Italy agreed with Brussels new privatisation terms that were never fully disclosed. Both Giorgetti and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni have said that the government would try to boost competition among banks with the privatisation of MPS. ($1 = 0.9499 euros)Reporting by Elisa Martinuzzi, writing by Giuseppe Fonte, editing by Jane Merriman and Gavin JonesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Jennifer Lorenzini, Giancarlo Giorgetti, Giorgetti, Giorgia Meloni, Meloni, Elisa Martinuzzi, Giuseppe Fonte, Jane Merriman, Gavin Jones Organizations: Monte, REUTERS, Rights, European Union, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, MPS, Banco, Treasury, Thomson Locations: Monte dei, Siena, Italy, Rights MARRAKECH, Rome, UniCredit, Brussels, Marrakech

"We would like to start as quickly as possible," he said of the buyback. Exceptional access would allow Kenya to ask for more than its limit of IMF funding. As of Oct. 5, the central bank said it had $6.9 billion in usable foreign exchange reserves, enough to cover around 3.7 months' worth of imports. The central bank held its main interest rate (KECBIR=ECI) at 10.5% on Oct. 3. Despite Kenya's debt pressures, the economy is set to grow 5.5% this year and around 6% in 2024, Thugge said, above the IMF forecasts for Sub-Saharan Africa of 3.3% and 4% respectively.

Persons: Kamau Thugge, Thugge, Rachel Savage, Jorgelina, Duncan Miriri, Karin Strohecker, Elisa Martinuzzi, Jan Harvey Organizations: Reuters, Trade, Development Bank, African Export, Import Bank, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Thomson Locations: MARRAKECH, Morocco, Kenya, Marrakech, Saharan Africa, Rosario, Nairobi

☆ Global watchdog reveals tensions at heart of Credit Suisse debacle
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( Huw Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Logos of Swiss banks Credit Suisse and UBS are seen before a news conference in Zurich Switzerland, August 30, 2023. The report, however, exposed tensions and conflicts at the heart of a process that ultimately required Switzerland to initially back the emergency rescue of Credit Suisse by rival UBS (UBSG.S) with public money to avert panic. The officials summed up that the "resolution" rules for shutting a collapsing bank without panicking markets could have worked for Credit Suisse, though public money would still likely have been needed. The FSB report sheds new light on events that led to Credit Suisse's downfall. The FSB said Switzerland's action preserved financial stability, even if it raised questions as to why the resolution was not chosen.

Persons: Denis Balibouse, Karin Keller, Sutter, Switzerland's Keller, FINMA, Andrew Bailey, Arturo Bris, Mayra Rodriguez Valladares, Arthur Wilmarth, it’s, Tatiana Bautzer, Elisa Martinuzzi, Stefania Spezzati, Pete Schroeder, Mark Potter, Nick Zieminski Organizations: Credit Suisse, UBS, REUTERS, UBS Group, Swiss, U.S, Bank of England, IMD, Bank, MRV Associates, Banco, George Washington University Law School, Thomson Locations: Zurich Switzerland, Switzerland, Swiss, U.S

[1/4] The International Monetary Fund (IMF) logo is seen outside the headquarters building in Washington, U.S., September 4, 2018. The IMF adjusted this year's stress test to probe the impact of its baseline economic scenario of higher interest rates for longer, as well as the possibility of consumers yanking deposits. "Under the baseline, it's about 5% of banks that are relatively weak in terms of their capital. And in severe stress, that number goes up to 30% or sometimes higher," Adrian said. The IMF did not identify the banks that could be in trouble if those economic circumstances arose, but they included both small and large lenders.

Persons: Yuri Gripas, Tobias Adrian, Adrian, There's, Pete Schroeder, Michelle Price, Paul Simao Organizations: Monetary Fund, REUTERS, Rights, International Monetary Fund, IMF, Valley Bank, Switzerland's Credit Suisse Group, Monetary, Capital Markets Department, Palestinian, World Bank, U.S, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, California, Israel, Gaza, Marrakech, Morocco, Italy, Federal, U.S

Shawbrook is considering a potential new bid for London-listed Metro Bank after several failed approaches earlier in the year, people familiar with the matter also told Reuters. Metro Bank, Lloyds and Santander did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Metro Bank has seen its shares tumble after news emerged that it had hired advisers to shore up its balance sheet after failing to gain key capital relief from banking regulators. Metro Bank said on Thursday its options included a combination of equity and debt issuance, as well as refinancing and asset sales. While Metro Bank's customer deposits, like those of other UK banks, are backed by a government guarantee up to 85,000 pounds, the regulator is keen for concerns not to spread.

Persons: Shawbrook, Robey Warshaw, Elisa Martinuzzi, Pablo Mayo Cerquerio, Iain Withers, Amy, Jo Crowley, Bernadette Baum, Ros Russell Organizations: Prudential, Authority, Metro Bank, HSBC, Lloyds, London, Reuters, The Financial Times, JPMorgan, Metro, Sky News, Santander, Shawbrook, Thomson

Logos of Swiss banks Credit Suisse and UBS are seen before a news conference in Zurich Switzerland, August 30, 2023. The analyst said higher deposit rates were potentially being used to limit outflows at Credit Suisse and had been weighing on the bank's ability to bolster revenue. Credit Suisse reported net asset outflows of 39 billion francs in the second quarter. However, UBS said the outflows had slowed down and reversed in June, with Credit Suisse reporting net deposit inflows of $18 billion in the second quarter. UBS's Chief Executive Sergio Ermotti has said he aims to get back the Credit Suisse assets.

Persons: Denis Balibouse, Kian Abouhossein, Abouhossein, Sergio Ermotti, Ermotti, Noele Illien, Stefania Spezzati, Oliver Hirt, Elisa Martinuzzi, Mark Potter Organizations: Credit Suisse, UBS, REUTERS, Rights, Suisse, JPMorgan, UBS's, Thomson Locations: Zurich Switzerland, Raiffeisen, Switzerland

"We are negatively surprised by lack of revenue growth, increased capital target, payout & ROTE cut, and by the lack of details," Jefferies analysts said in a note. It also said its new targets were based on annual revenue growth expectations between zero and 2% between 2022 and 2026, but that it would aim to improve its cost-to-income ratio. A SocGen veteran and former head of its investment bank, Krupa said he would streamline the bank's activities but didn't elaborate. The share price decline put SocGen on course for the biggest one-day drop since March. "It will take time for the shares to discount the cost improvement given SG's mixed track record," they said.

Persons: Gonzalo Fuentes, Krupa, Slawomir Krupa, SocGen, JP Morgan, Tassilo Hummel, Silvia Aloisi, Elisa Martinuzzi, Michal Alexandrowicz, Mathieu Rosemain, Ingrid Melander, Mark Potter Organizations: Societe Generale, La Defense, REUTERS, BNP, Jefferies, Thomson Locations: La, Paris, France, Russia

REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON/DUBLIN, Sept 18 (Reuters) - Societe Generale's (SOGN.PA) much-hyped new strategy plans were given a thumbs down by investors on Monday, underscoring uncertainty over European banks as they face a brittle economy. "There are more questions about the future and the economy," Legras said, adding that transformative mergers between banks, which investors have waited for in vain, remained unlikely. Reuters GraphicsThat dampens the prospects for Europe's banks, whose valuations are low and static, said one adviser who works with top executives from the region's lenders, adding that investors struggle to see much promise for the sector. European banks' modest earning power has dampened investor appetite for their shares, which often trade at just a fraction of book value - the sum of their assets. While in the United States, JP Morgan and Morgan Stanley are valued at around 1.5 times book value, Germany's Deutsche Bank, Dutch lender ABN Amro, France's Credit Agricole and Britain's Standard Chartered are valued at just half book value or less.

Persons: Gonzalo Fuentes, Jerome Legras, Legras, Slawomir Krupa, Krupa, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Frederic Rozier, Morgan Stanley, Karel Lannoo, Elisa Martinuzzi, John O'Donnell, Alexander Smith Organizations: Societe Generale, La Defense, REUTERS, Reuters, European Central Bank, European Union, Commission, Deutsche Bank, ABN Amro, France's Credit, Thomson Locations: La, Paris, France, DUBLIN, France's, Europe, United States, Germany, Mirabaud, U.S, Brussels

Search resuls for: "Elisa Martinuzzi"

25 mentions found