As market volatility increased towards the end of 2018, investment banking revenues suffered across the board. Kat Van Hoof investigates.
S&P: ratings outlook for European banks positive, but narrowing
March 7, 2019Over the past two years, there has been only one ratings downgrade for one of Europe’s top 50 banks, according to S&P. The agency foresees stable balance sheets and good results from banks in Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe. But slowing growth in the big economies and low profitability means S&P foresees more negative ratings actions in 2019 than the year before. Kat Van Hoof reports.
UBS EMEA investment bank head surveys a changing environment
March 1, 2019UBS’s head of investment banking and capital markets for EMEA talks to Kat Van Hoof about ramping up investment beyond the bank’s traditional strongholds.
Status report: MiFID II, one year in
March 1, 2019One year since MiFID II came into force, it has become clearer where some of the chips will fall. Meanwhile, the market has its hands full with some of the short-term fallout, as Kat Van Hoof describes.
Mobile banking capacity boom: Australia leads the way
February 28, 2019Data suggests that 2018 was a bumper year for the digitisation of banking services, driven in particular by a big step forward in mobile phone services. The acceleration was most pronounced in Australia and the US, with European institutions lagging behind, Kat Van Hoof reports.
Japan’s banks set sights abroad
February 21, 2019Facing a sluggish economy, Japanese banks are looking overseas in their quest for growth, and their south-east Asian neighbours in particular have seen an influx of investment.
Thai incentives aim to spur bank consolidation
February 14, 2019
In April 2018, the government of Thailand approved tax incentives for banking mergers in hopes of stimulating consolidation. Thailand’s banking sector is fragmented compared with similar-sized economies in the region, but is looking to catch up. Kat Van Hoof reports.
Venezuelan banking sector crumbles
February 7, 2019Hyperinflation, rampant poverty and a dramatically shrinking economy are plaguing Venezuela, once one of the most prosperous nations in Latin America. While official figures are scarce and often unreliable, the data that is out there paints a bleak picture for the future of the oil-rich nation’s banks, Kat Van Hoof finds.
The Top 50 Russian Banks 2019: bailouts shake the sector amid slowing growth
February 1, 2019The Banker’s Top 50 Russian banks ranking shows the fallout of several big banking bailouts over the course of 2017. There are some signs of recovery, however.
Is innovation a double-edged sword for capital markets teams?
February 1, 2019Technology has become part of banks’ DNA, but some areas have more resistant to change than others. How will new apps and tech advancements under way at capital markets desks affect the way banks do business? Kat Van Hoof investigates.