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Danske Bank to forgo Estonia money laundering profits

Danske Bank said today that its net profit for the year would be at the lower end of its forecast range
Danske Bank said today that its net profit for the year would be at the lower end of its forecast range

Danske Bank is to forgo profits made from suspicious transactions in Estonia once the scale of past money laundering scandal becomes clear. 

The bank has launched its own investigation into the case which it said dated back to 2007-2015, after reports this month said Danske laundered up to $8.3 billion - more than twice the amount previously reported. 

Danske Bank is due to present its findings in September. 

However, Denmark's business minister has said the bank's own investigation might not be enough. 

It said this month "the extent appears to be somewhat bigger than what has previously been reported". 

Shares in Danske fell 7% at the open to their lowest level since August 2016. 

Danske Bank has admitted to flaws in its anti-money-laundering controls in Estonia.

It said gross profits from its non-resident portfolio in Estonia between 2007 and 2015 amounted to 1.5 billion Danish crowns ($234.23m). 

It was not clear how much of that amount Danske would waive, it said. 

The bank said its board is "determined that Danske Bank should not benefit financially from such suspicious transactions in the Estonian non-resident portfolio". 

"It is Danske Bank's intention to make the gross income generated from such transactions in the period from 2007 to 2015 available for efforts that support the interest of the societies in which we operate, such as combating international financial crime," it said in a statement. 

Danske today posted a fall in second-quarter pre-tax profit which missed forecasts and said net profit for the year would be at the lower end of its forecast range. 

Pre-tax profit at Denmark's biggest lender stood at 5.49 billion crowns for the three months to June 30, down from 6.18 billion a year earlier. Analysts had forecast a profit of 6.02 billion. 

The bank said it still expects net profit for the year of between 18 and 20 billion crowns, but that it would likely be at the lower end of that range due to weaker trading income. 

Net trading income fell 35% to 1.1 billion crowns, undershooting the 1.5 billion expected by analysts.

"In the first half of 2018, the positive momentum in our lending activities continued, while developments in the financial markets had an adverse effect as the global uncertainty and investor reticence contributed in particular to a weaker development in net trading income," commented the bank's CEO Thomas F Borgen.

He said the decline was partially offset by lending growth, rising net interest income and solid credit quality, which made it possible for the bank to continue to reverse impairments. 

Terry Browne, Country Manager at Danske Bank Ireland, said the bank's corporate and institutional division delivered another "satisfactory performance" as it continued to generate "solid returns" across the business.

"Key performance drivers include increased activity in Ireland by our Nordic multinational clients, as well as increased participation by Danske Bank in the Irish wholesale financial services market," Mr Browne said. 

He also said the bank's "landmark" appointment as the provider of government banking services demonstrated the group's "expertise in digital banking and delivering innovative solutions to large corporate and institutional clients".

Terry Browne, Country Manager at Danske Bank Ireland

Terry Browne, Country Manager at Danske Bank Ireland, said the bank's corporate and institutional division delivered another "satisfactory performance" as it continued to generate "solid returns" across the business.

"Key performance drivers include increased activity in Ireland by our Nordic multinational clients, as well as increased participation by Danske Bank in the Irish wholesale financial services market," Mr Browne said. 

He also said the bank's "landmark" appointment as the provider of government banking services demonstrated the group's "expertise in digital banking and delivering innovative solutions to large corporate and institutional clients".