Nationwide to let all 13,000 office staff work from home permanently March 25, 2021 Nationwide will allow all 13,000 of its office staff to permanently work remotely when coronavirus restrictions are eased. The building society said office staff can work from anywhere in the UK, as it “puts them in control of how they balance their work and home lives”. The move follows a survey of Nationwide employees, [...]
Oil prices shoot up after mega container ship blocks Suez Canal March 24, 2021 Oil prices soared higher this afternoon after one of the world’s largest container ships ran aground in the Suez Canal, blocking the major trade artery. While equity markets were largely quiet earlier today, global energy trading went into a frenzy as fears the blockage could disrupt shipment for days sparked speculation that oil supply could [...]
UK sticks by open derivatives trading stance despite EU ban March 24, 2021 The UK’s financial regulator has today elected to keep its current stance on cross-border derivatives trading with the EU. Under the current Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) rules introduced after Brexit, UK banks have been able to trade derivatives on EU platforms to avoid disruption to business in the bloc. However, there is not currently a [...]
TSB chair Richard Meddings to step down after three years March 24, 2021 TSB chairman Richard Meddings has announced plans to step down from his position later this year. Meddings, who became chairman in February 2018, will continue to lead the board while the search for a successor takes place. Is chairman is not moving to another role, but already hold a number of non-executive roles beyond his [...]
Banking giants pour $3.8 trillion into fossil fuels since Paris agreement March 24, 2021 Since 2016, the world’s 60 largest banks have poured more than $3.8 trillion into the fossil fuel industry, a new report released today has shown. Despite the signing of the Paris climate accords in 2015, lenders have continued to provide hundreds of billions in financing for polluting industries such as tar sands oil, coal, and [...]
House of Lords committee calls for UK-EU financial services agreement March 24, 2021 A House of Lords committee has called for the UK to negotiate better EU access for the financial services industry post-Brexit. The Lords’ EU Services Sub-Committee said today that there will be “real problems” for financial services professionals “whose qualifications are not recognised in the EU under current arrangements”. The City lost its pre-Brexit access [...]
Citigroup enforces Zoom-free Fridays in wellbeing push March 23, 2021 Citigroup workers will be spared from Zoom meetings on Fridays as part of a wellbeing push by the bank’s new boss. In a memo to staff chief executive Jane Fraser said she was introducing the video call veto after it “became apparent we need to combat the ‘Zoom fatigue’ that many of us feel”. Fraser [...]
Revolut submits application for US banking licence March 22, 2021 A year after launching in the US, Revolut has submitted its draft application for a US banking licence as it expands its business account across all 50 states. Revolut secured a Lithuanian banking licence bank in 2018 and announced it had applied for a UK licence earlier this year. Securing both a US and UK [...]
MPs call for insurers Legal & General and Aviva to cut ties with HSBC over its Hong Kong stance March 22, 2021 A group of British parliamentarians have called for major British insurers Aviva and Legal & General to cut ties with HSBC over its support of Beijing’s democracy crackdown in Hong Kong. The group of 10 MPs and peers wrote to the pair of insurers to say that “investment in HSBC is in direct conflict with [...]
Barclays expands private bank to France and Italy in bid to grow EU business March 22, 2021 Barclays has expanded its private banking division to France and Italy as it looks to grow its European wealth business in the wake of Brexit. The bank said on Monday that it had appointed Bernard Corneau and Carlo Baronio as heads of private bank coverage in France and Italy respectively. The duo will be supported [...]
