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European banks are expected to report a sharp rise in profits for the final three months of 2024

European banks may find it tough to repeat strong results

European banks are expected to report a sharp rise in profits for the final three months of last year, helped by still-robust margins from lending and bumper investment banking revenues.

Business • 28 Jan

Italy's UniCredit is considering a bid for Germany's Commerzbank

ECB will do 'anything' to remove hurdles to bank mergers

The European Central Bank will do "anything" to remove hurdles to cross-border bank mergers in the euro zone, supervisory chief Claudia Buch said today, as Italy's UniCredit eyes a bid for Germany's Commerzbank.

Business • 02 Oct 24

Unicredit's chief executive Andrea Orcel

Unicredit, Commerzbank merger would add value - Orcel

A merger of UniCredit and Commerzbank could add value for all stakeholders and create a stronger bank, UniCredit CEO Andrea Orcel told a German newspaper today, adding a decision was in the hands of Commerzbank stakeholders.

Business • 16 Sep 24

Spanish lender BBVA has made a hostile bid for rival Sabadell

Euro zone's fragmented banking industry

Supporters for more consolidation in the euro zone's banking sector have been watching Spanish lender BBVA's hostile bid for Sabadell, alongside comments from some supervisors and politicians supporting the idea of more tie-ups.

Business • 18 Jun 24

After years of low interest rates, a surge in borrowing costs has been a game changer for bank profits in Europe

Europe bank earnings to offer interest rate reality check

Investors should get a clearer picture this week of whether higher interest rates are still boosting European bank profits or if a year-long share price rally will run out of steam.

Business • 22 Apr 24

The Bank of England said it estimates the impact of the final leg of Basel on UK banks will be 'low'

UK banks face smaller impact from Basel rules

The Bank of England said today that implementing the final leg of the global Basel bank rules will increase capital requirements at UK banks by 3%, far less than for their European Union and US peers.

Business • 12 Dec 23

Alison Rose left her job as NatWest CEO this week

Women make gains at Europe's banks despite Rose exit

Alison Rose's resignation from NatWest leaves just one woman in charge of a major western European bank.

Business • 28 Jul 23

The 167-year-old Credit Suisse's problems have shifted the focus for investors and regulators from the US to Europe

Credit Suisse shares soar after central bank lifeline

Shares of embattled Credit Suisse surged this morning after announcing it would borrow up to $53.7 billion from the Swiss central bank, calming markets following the worst trading day in its history.

Business • 16 Mar 23

Deutsche Bank shares - along with the other main European banks - are seeing big losses today

World bank shares sink on concerns over US sector

The world's biggest banks took a stock market beating today as signs of trouble at a US regional lender sparked concerns over the wider sector.

Business • 10 Mar 23

The ECB instructions mean thousands of Russians and Belarusians resident in the EU face intense surveillance by their banks

ECB tells banks to watch all Russian clients - sources

European Union regulators have told some banks to scrutinise transactions by all Russian and Belarusian clients, including EU residents, to ensure that they are not used to circumvent Western sanctions against Moscow, three sources told Reuters.

Business • 16 Mar 22

The letter from the bank supervisors was addressed to Commissioners Mairead McGuinness and John Berrigan

EU supervisors call for implementation of banking rules

A group of bank supervisors from across the European Union have today called for the bloc to implement global banking rules agreed to prevent a repeat of the global financial crisis.

Business • 07 Sep 21

The European Commission is supporting extra lending, worth up to €450 billion, to companies struggling as a deep recession looms

EU sets out 'quick fixes' to boost bank lending

European banks should rein in bonuses to boost their capacity to help businesses and households hit by the coronavirus crisis, the European Union's executive said today.

Business • 28 Apr 20

Italy's UniCredit became the first major euro zone bank to write down the value of its loans to reflect the economic impact of Covid-19

Europe's banks brace for bad debt build up from virus

Europe's banks are expected to have to set aside billions for potential loan losses as well as take profit hits because of the coronavirus crisis when they start reporting results over the next two weeks.

Business • 22 Apr 20

The EBA said it had to take action in an 'unprecedented' situation because of Brexit

EU banks watchdog urges protection of deposits

The EU banking watchdog has urged member states to offer deposit account protection for customers of branches of British banks in the rest of the European Union in case Britain crashes out of the bloc this month with no deal.

Business • 01 Mar 19

For the first time since 2009, the EU health check of the sector showed all top banks passed a key capital threshold under the most adverse economic scenario

European banks' beauty only skin-deep, investors say

Europe's top banks may have survived a milestone test of their resilience but strengthened balance sheets count for little when they generate such meagre returns compared with US rivals, investors say.

Business • 06 Nov 18

The stress tests show both AIB and Bank of Ireland would have sufficient capital in the severe recession scenario used in the tests, according to the Central Bank

AIB, BoI could be strong enough to survive hard Brexit

The two main Irish banks are probably strong enough to survive the kind of economic downturn associated with a hard Brexit.

Business • 05 Nov 18

€950 billion worth of bad loans still in European Union

Banks' bad loan woes ease but need capital buffer hikes

European Union banks' holding of bad loans is decreasing but remains high, the European Commission said today as it prepares measures to force higher provisioning for future soured debt.

Business • 18 Jan 18

The European Central Bank supervises top euro zone lenders

Foreign banks face new EU set-up to allow more scrutiny

Nineteen foreign banks in the European Union will need to set up new holding companies so that regulators can scrutinise them more closely, an EU discussion paper says, mirroring steps taken by the US.

Business • 04 Sep 17

AFME's report provides a blueprint for a transition phase after Britain's EU exit in March 2019

Central banks must be ready to calm Brexit nerves

Central banks should be ready to inject cash into the financial markets to keep them stable after Britain leaves the European Union in 2019, a draft report from a bank industry lobby said.

Business • 01 Sep 17

The Bank for International Settlements publishes its annual report

Euro zone lenders dampen global banking recovery - BIS

Although a better economy is helping global banks to turn the corner a decade after the financial crisis began, euro zone lenders remain a dampener on the sector's recovery, the Bank for International Settlements said.

Business • 26 Jun 17

The biggest single earner at Europe's biggest bank HSBC, an unnamed senior manager, pulled in €10-11m

Number of new millionaires at Europe's banks shrinking

The number of employees earning more than €1m or £1m at Europe's biggest banks fell sharply last year, another sign of the clout they have lost to US rivals since the financial crisis.

Business • 24 Mar 17

Elke Koenig said that a number of banks were in 'shaky waters'

Euro zone banks under scrutiny but none in danger

Several European banks are being closely monitored by the agency responsible for closing lenders which go bust in the euro zone.

Business • 23 Mar 17

Fitch said they see Deutsche Bank's $14 billion fine from the Department of Justice as 'an opening position'

Europe bank fines likely below Deutsche's $14 bn

European banks are likely to reach final US settlements over alleged mis-selling of mortgage-backed securities well below the $14 billion claimed by the US Department of Justice against Deutsche Bank, Fitch Ratings has said.

Business • 22 Sep 16

Europe's bank sector index suffered its biggest-ever single-day loss on Friday after the Brexit vote

European banks face tough outlook after Brexit

Shares in Britain's top banks suffered further deep losses today as fears about the fallout from Brexit sparked a litany of earnings downgrades and sell-offs by shell-shocked investors.

Business • 27 Jun 16

European banks have provisioned for another $50 billion worth of legal costs as of the end of 2015

Legal costs burn one-third of Europe bank profits

European banks have spent a third of their net profits on provisions to cover expected legal costs since the start of the economic crisis in 2008, European Central Bank data showed today.

Business • 23 May 16

European Banks