European banks’ record takings fuel M&A talk as pressures on industry persist
For years, pressure on European banks and asset managers to bulk up to better compete with US rivals has been mounting. This year may mark a turning point as more…
Exodus by Wall Street banks from climate group worries advocates
US lenders have been rushing in recent weeks to leave one of the world’s top banking sector climate coalitions, drawing scorn from campaigners who worry the industry is losing resolve…
Lula’s embrace of new Brazil central banker has markets wary
After months of rancor, ties between President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Brazil’s central bank look poised for an era of sweetness and light - which is precisely what…
Israeli settlers set sights on Trump support for full control of West Bank
After a record expansion of Israeli settlement activity, some settler advocates in the occupied West Bank are looking to Donald Trump to fulfil a dream of imposing sovereignty over the…
Banking shortcomings
SYSTEMS in Pakistan often operate below potential. We could be close, but remain mired in red tape, beholden to power structures and burdened by hidden and friction costs. Despite an…
Regional banks brace for tougher capital rules, get relief from Fed cuts
US regional banks preparing for higher capital requirements will get some relief from the Federal Reserve’s jumbo rate cut. As lenders gear up to report third-quarter earnings this month, monetary…
True riba-free Islamic banking
The motivation to provide interest- (riba) free financial services is derived from the desire of Muslim communities living in the modern age. The general perception of most of the critics…
Singapore’s DBS eyes Malaysian bank stakes in expansion push, sources say
Singapore’s biggest lender DBS Group Holdings Ltd is exploring expanding into Malaysia with potential acquisitions of stakes in banks in its Southeast Asian neighbour, including in one of Malaysia’s smallest…
Running banks and airlines
THE provinces are already running banks: Bank of Punjab, Sindh Bank and Bank of Khyber. Balochistan is the only province that does not have a bank of its own, but…
Banking on missteps: latest tax policy will distort financial system
One of the more short-sighted fiscal measures recently introduced is the higher tax on banking income from government securities. This tax is directly linked to the advance-to-deposit ratio (ADR), imposing…
