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☆ UK finance minister and Bank of England work to contain SVB fallout
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The Bank of England on Friday said it was seeking a court order to place SVB UK into an insolvency procedure. Advisory firm Rothschild & Co is exploring options for SVB UK as insolvency looms, two people familiar with the discussions told Reuters. More than 250 UK tech firm chief executives signed a letter addressed to Jeremy Hunt, the British chancellor of the exchequer (finance minister), calling for government intervention, a copy seen by Reuters shows. "The recent news about SVB going into insolvency represents an existential threat to the UK tech sector," the letter said. Sky News had reported earlier on Saturday that a British clearing bank, the Bank of London, was considering a rescue bid for the UK arm of SVB.

☆ Europe's lenders sucked into global banks rout
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Alun John | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] The German share price index DAX graph is pictured at the stock exchange in Frankfurt, Germany, March 8, 2023. The episode underscored the vulnerability of banks, many of which were propped up by taxpayers' cash following the global financial crisis more than a decade ago. Investors in SVB's stock had fretted over whether the capital raise would be sufficient given the deteriorating fortunes of many technology startups that the bank serves. But some startups have been advising their founders to pull out their money from SVB as a precautionary measure, the sources added. Writing By John O'Donnell; Additional reporting by Jo Mason; Editing by Elisa Martinuzzi and Toby ChopraOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

The S&P 500 banks index (.SPXBK) dropped 6.6% on Thursday and was set to open lower again on Friday. The crisis at SVG was feeding growing investor concerns that banks will be vulnerable to the rising cost of money. In an unusual step, Commerzbank, one of Germany's largest banks, issued a statement, playing down any threat from SVB, saying it did not see "a corresponding risk for us". "The market is treating this as a potential contagion risk," said Antoine Bouvet, senior rates strategist at ING in London. A spike in interest rates has led to a sell-off in bonds, leaving banks exposed to potential losses on the securities they hold.

☆ Exclusive: Credit Suisse regulatory compliance head leaving as part of wider overhaul -sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Stefania Spezzati | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A logo is pictured on the Credit Suisse bank in Geneva, Switzerland, February 22, 2023. The sources said Gooding's departure is not related to Thursday's postponement by Credit Suisse of the publication of its annual report. Gooding, who has spent about 18 years at Credit Suisse, reported to Nita Patel, the group chief compliance officer, and his responsibilities will be reassigned, the sources added. Credit Suisse is cutting 9,000 jobs as part of a restructuring plan announced in October to restore profitability after a series of scandals and losses that have drawn regulatory scrutiny and undermined investors confidence. Gooding's tasks will be assigned to Roger Senteler, chief compliance officer for the wealth management unit, and Alain Bieger, chief compliance officer for the Swiss bank division, the people said.

☆ Bank of America names senior Europe TMT bankers in reshuffle -memo
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Amy-Jo Crowley | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, March 9 (Reuters) - Bank of America (BAC.N) has made a handful of senior appointments within its investment banking team advising European technology, media and telecom (TMT) companies, an internal memo seen by Reuters showed. The memo, which was confirmed by a Bank of America spokesperson, said the U.S. bank has named veterans Alexandre Gafsi and Emmanuel Hibou as chairs of TMT Investment Banking in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) to "focus fully on covering some of our key clients". It has also appointed Thomas Koehrer and James Robertson as co-heads of TMT Investment Banking for the EMEA region. Peter Luck, who has been co-head of UK Investment Banking with Robertson, is now taking over full UK responsibilities. Reporting by Amy-Jo Crowley; Additional reporting by Pablo Mayo Cerqueiro; Editing by Elisa Martinuzzi and Alexander SmithOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

At the Fontainebleau hotel, Credit Suisse bankers were puzzled by the announcements, and concerned about their jobs being on the line, said the executive, who declined to be named. In response to questions from Reuters for this article, a spokesperson for Credit Suisse in London said: "We never comment on rumours or speculation." 'A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE'Even after Credit Suisse stopped financing hedge funds following the Archegos implosion in March 2021, the equities business remained a key part of its investment bank revenue. One option Credit Suisse is considering is to move its equities research to CSFB, Reuters reported. Slimming down the equities business would draw a further line under Credit Suisse's investment bank ambitions.

☆ Bertarelli-backed Volta Trucks seeks $264 mln in pre-IPO round, says CEO
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Pablo Mayo Cerqueiro | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

LONDON, March 8 (Reuters) - Volta Trucks, the electric-truck maker backed by billionaire Ernesto Bertarelli, is in advanced discussions to raise as much as 250 million euros ($263.58 million), its CEO told Reuters. Volta Trucks is gearing up to roll out its electric trucks, after delays in obtaining certification for its vehicles and constraints in sourcing supplies held up production, according to a company spokesperson. The company just months ago tapped investors for around 300 million euros in a deal that valued it at close to 600 million euros. Volta Trucks' existing backers include Kuwaiti supply-chain services provider Agility Public Warehousing Co (AGLT.KW), Bertarelli's family office B-Flexion, Swedish investor Byggmastare Anders J Ahlstrom (AJAb.ST) and U.S. hedge fund Luxor Capital. A spokesperson for B-Flexion said the investor remains "wholly committed" to Volta Trucks, but declined to comment further.

Monte dei Paschi (MPS), which raised capital last year, needs to merge with a stronger rival to cement its turnaround. Banco BPM CEO Giuseppe Castagna, who faces pressure from shareholders to reject an MPS deal, has repeatedly said the Tuscan bank is too large for Banco BPM to integrate. A Banco BPM spokesperson said nothing had changed in this respect. HURDLESA Banco BPM and MPS tie-up would pose major hurdles, another three sources said separately. Banco BPM investors are also concerned about an expansion into regions of the country where economic growth is much weaker compared with the bank's wealthy home base in the north, one of the sources said.

This would help its investment bankers in their pitches to clients, especially for IPOs, one of the sources added. Klein is selling his business to Credit Suisse for $175 million, the two said earlier this month. Credit Suisse will focus on managing money for the wealthy after the carve-out. A spokesman for Credit Suisse declined to comment, as did a representative for Klein. Credit Suisse reported its biggest annual loss last year since the financial crisis and cut its bonus pool by 50% for 2022.

☆ Exclusive: Swiss financial watchdog reviewing Credit Suisse chairman's comments - sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( Oliver Hirt | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

ZURICH, Feb 20 (Reuters) - Swiss financial regulator Finma is reviewing remarks made by Credit Suisse Group (CSGN.S) Chairman Axel Lehmann about outflows from the lender having stabilized in early December, two people with knowledge of the matter told Reuters. Lehmann told the Financial Times in an interview streamed online on Dec. 1 that after strong outflows in October, they had "completely flattened out" and "partially reversed". Credit Suisse shares rose 9.3% on Dec. 2. A Credit Suisse spokesperson said the bank does "not comment on speculation." Finma's scrutiny adds to the challenges faced by Credit Suisse, which has been rocked by scandals in recent years.

FRANKFURT, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Credit Suisse (CSGN.S) has taken another step towards creating a standalone investment bank by buying Michael Klein's advisory boutique, but gave few clues on Thursday about potential investors who might back the business with new capital. In October, Credit Suisse Chief Executive Officer Ulrich Koerner said the bank had already a commitment from an investor without giving a name. The plan has raised concerns from Credit Suisse shareholders over potential conflicts of interest. Credit Suisse said it would keep control over the structure of CS First Boston. CEO Koerner said: "The ties between the new Credit Suisse and CS First Boston are obviously super-deep and will stay super-deep."

☆ Credit Suisse moves towards carve out of investment banking arm
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The bank, battling to recover from a series of scandals and heavy losses, said it had agreed to buy the investment banking business of M. Klein & Company LLC, for $175 million. Credit Suisse did not provide details on other investors that may back CS First Boston. Credit Suisse has been marketing CS First Boston to investors as a "super boutique" and sees revenue eventually more than doubling to as much as $3.5 billion, Reuters reported on Monday. Still, given the "challenging market backdrop", Credit Suisse expects its investment banking division - which includes some activities that may not move across to CS First Boston - to report a loss in the first quarter. Credit Suisse said it would keep control over the structure of CS First Boston.

☆ Swiss regulator Finma says it is monitoring Credit Suisse
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

LONDON, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Finma says that while Credit Suisse Group (CSGN.S)'s liquidity buffers had a stabilising effect on the bank and are are being rebuilt after outflows, the regulator "monitors banks very closely during such situations." Finma said the bank's outflows "were indeed significant" in the fourth quarter, according to a statement to Reuters on Thursday. The bank used its liquidity buffers, which is "what they are built for," the regulator said, adding it welcomes the strategy overhaul announced last year. Battered by one scandal after another, the bank saw a sharp acceleration in withdrawals in the fourth quarter, with outflows of more than 110 billion Swiss francs ($120 billion), although it said the picture has been improving. Reporting by Elisa Martinuzzi; Editing by Andres GonzalezOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Exclusive: Credit Suisse markets CSFB as 'super boutique', sees revenue rebound
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Paritosh Bansal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Veteran dealmaker Michael Klein has stepped down from the Credit Suisse board to become CEO. Third-party capital would help fund the unit's lending as a standalone entity, Credit Suisse said, without providing additional details. At the same time, Credit Suisse would pull back from certain businesses, such as providing revolving credit lines to companies and non-essential trading. Bloomberg News reported last month that Credit Suisse was nearing a deal to buy the boutique for a few hundred million dollars. Longer term under its plan for CSFB, Credit Suisse projects net revenues could rise to as much as $3.5 billion.

☆ JPMorgan reviews oversight of traders amid boom in financial markets - sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( Stefania Spezzati | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

KPMG is reviewing JPMorgan’s oversight of traders across the bank's markets division globally, the people said. The CBOE Volatility Index (.VIX), a measure of market volatility, remains above its pre-pandemic levels. JPMorgan, when asked by Reuters why it had hired KPMG, said: "We invest heavily in our compliance and surveillance systems and often engage third parties to benchmark our capabilities." Under the agreement, which ends this year, the bank committed to enhance its compliance efforts and to report fixes to its oversight, the DoJ said. The volatility in UK government bonds, known as gilts, triggered a flood of compliance alerts from JPMorgan’s traders, one of the sources said.

☆ Spain's Iberdrola sounds out sale of $700 million wind, gas portfolio -sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Andres Gonzalez | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] The logo of Spanish utility company Iberdrola is seen on its headquarters in Bilbao, Spain, October 25, 2022. REUTERS/Vincent West/File PhotoLONDON, Jan 26 (Reuters) - Iberdrola (IBE.MC) is looking to sell a portfolio of gas, wind and solar assets in Spain which could raise more than $700 million, three sources with knowledge of the plans told Reuters. Iberdrola is working with Deutsche Bank on the sale of the 2.4-gigawatt (GW) portfolio, the sources said. The final price for the Iberdrola portfolio will depend on the valuation of the gas assets, which were underused in Spain until last year when production increased, the sources said. The sale is still at an early stage and Iberdrola could decide to delay or abandon the disposals, the people said.

Binance was the only major crypto exchange among Bitzlato's top counterparties, FinCEN said. The Justice Department and FinCEN declined to comment. Bitcoin worth about $175 million was transferred to Binance from Bitzlato in that period, making Binance its largest receiving counterparty, the data show. The U.S. action against Bitzlato comes as the Justice Department investigates Binance for possible money laundering and sanctions violations. The Justice Department said Bitzlato exchanged more than $700 million in crypto with Hydra, either directly or through intermediaries.

Binance was the only major crypto exchange among Bitzlato's top counterparties, FinCEN said. A Binance spokesperson said via email it had "provided substantial assistance" to international law enforcement to support their investigation of Bitzlato. Bitcoin worth about $175 million was transferred to Binance from Bitzlato in that period, making Binance its largest receiving counterparty, the data show. The U.S. action against Bitzlato comes as the Justice Department investigates Binance for possible money laundering and sanctions violations. The Justice Department said Bitzlato exchanged more than $700 million in crypto with Hydra, either directly or through intermediaries.

LONDON, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Spain's markets and competition regulator is reviewing whether gas distributor Madrilena Red de Gas (MRG) has complied with legislation designed to protect the financial strength of energy distributors, according to two sources familiar with the situation. The amendment grew out of worries about the excessive indebtedness of the gas transportation and distribution networks. The CNMC has not to date published a notice of regulatory action concerning MRG. The filings also show that MRG's ultimate parent Elisandra Spain IV - Elisandra Spain V's sole owner - paid dividends totalling more than 104 million euros to its shareholders. At the end of 2021, MRG carried 925.5 million euros of net adjusted financial debt on its balance sheet, 6.55 times its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA), per its latest annual accounts.

FRANKFURT, Jan 18 (Reuters) - Hellman & Friedman (H&F) is weighing options for its Italian cloud software maker TeamSystem, a business which could be valued at several billion euros, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters. Private equity investors are showing interest in TeamSystem, which may also attract sovereign wealth funds, they said. Hellman & Friedman acquired TeamSystem in 2016 and in 2021 moved the company from one of its funds to another. TeamSystem, which was founded in 1979, generated revenue of 545 million euros in 2021, while posting adjusted core earnings of around 235 million euros, according to company results on its website. While a decision on its valuation is still in flux, that could mean more than 6 billion euros including debt, the person said.

☆ Revolut close to finalising 2021 accounts as fintech seeks U.K. licence - sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Stefania Spezzati | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

LONDON, Jan 13 (Reuters) - Fintech firm Revolut Ltd. is close to finalising its long-overdue 2021 financial accounts, a move that could pave the way for the start-up to obtain a UK banking licence, two people with knowledge of the matter told Reuters. Revolut is set to publish financial accounts for the year ended December 2021 - which were due last summer - at the end of January after auditing firm BDO LLP’s final sign-off, the people said. The Revolut filing will likely show a rise in 2021 revenue from clients’ subscriptions and exchange rate fees, the person said. The accounts may help the entrepreneur to convince UK regulators that Revolut is ready for a banking licence after a two-year wait. Britain is a key market for Revolut, which aims to become a global financial firm.

REUTERS/Francis KokorokoLONDON/ACCRA, Jan 10 (Reuters) - Ghana requested on Tuesday to restructure its bilateral debt under the common framework platform supported by the Group of 20 major economies, a source familiar with the situation told Reuters. Ghana's debt restructuring under the common framework aims to include non-Paris club members, such as China in debt relief talks. Reuters reported first on Thursday that Ghana was seeking debt treatment under the G20 programme. Some bondholders said Ghana opting to go down the common framework route put the prospect of a swift resolution further out of reach. "With the common framework and the poor track record on the timeline for that, it just makes things more uncertain," said Anders Faergemann, portfolio managers at PineBridge Investments.

Higher interest rates are fattening profits from regular banking, while there has been a decline in M&A deals. In both those years, the investment bank made close to 40% of revenue and more than 75% of pre-tax profit. The bank's corporate and retail businesses, meanwhile, stagnated under ultra-low interest rates that lasted longer than expected. Deutsche Bank is under scrutiny for its controls to prevent money laundering, said a person with direct knowledge of the matter. Deutsche Bank has also been under pressure from regulators to rein in its leveraged finance business, where credit is extended to already indebted borrowers.

The global job cuts at the London-headquartered bank will fall across several business units and geographical locations and result in the loss of at least 200 positions, mostly with the title of Chief Operating Officer (COO), the sources said. HSBC, which used to position itself as the world's local bank, employs many COOs because country and business lines have their own separate COO, the sources said. The lender has been shrinking its sprawling global business for several years, downsizing in many regions and exiting some countries entirely as it tries to improve shareholder returns. The initiative, codenamed Project Banyan, follows HSBC's last major redundancy plan in 2020, which targeted up to 35,000 job cuts globally across all staffing levels. Three separate sources confirmed job cuts were underway, as HSBC joins a chorus of other western banks axing staff as a bleak global economic outlook weighs on business, consumer and investment banking revenues.

[1/4] A Christmas tree is decorated in front of the headquarters of Swiss bank Credit Suisse in Zurich, Switzerland November 23, 2022. Credit Suisse declined to comment on job cuts in the Hong Kong private banking business. Credit Suisse said in October it intends to reduce its cost base by around 2.5 billion Swiss francs ($2.67 billion) to about 14.5 billion in 2025. Client outflows have partially reversed and very few clients have left entirely, Credit Suisse Chairman Axel Lehmann told a Financial Times conference on Thursday. The fresh round of private banking cuts signals challenges facing Credit Suisse as it shifts towards banking for the wealthy, after vowing to ramp up wealth management globally.

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