News

Philippines' total bank profits up 23% to $1.07bn

Robust operating income and disciplined expenses fuelled growth.

Philippines' total bank profits up 23% to $1.07bn

Robust operating income and disciplined expenses fuelled growth.

Punjab National Bank opens Sydney office

The booming bilateral trade between India and Australia opens door to the lender’s entry in Sydney.

Prudential mulls increasing its 26% stake in ICICI

Indian government seen to allow foreign insurers to raise their stakes.

Suspension of savings banks to have limited impact on Korea’s banking system: analyst

As the savings bank sector accounts for roughly 5% of the national banking system, which is relatively too small for it to make a big enough impact.

Chinese banks beat their foreign counterparts with strong profits in 2010

Profits of city commercial banks and joint stock banks surged 55.05% and 46.81% respectively.

Shinhan Bank’s outlook stable, says Fitch

The ratings agency revised the bank’s outlook to stable from negative, noting that some of the bank's financial metrics have improved since September 2010.

UOB is the best managed on liquidity risks among the Singapore banks

Its capital buffers are also the highest compared to OCBC and DBS.

HK to give grand welcome if UK banks transfer to ex-territory

Shareholder interest and profitability issues may force HSBC and other British banks to reconsider relocation.

Think tank laments South Korea’s uncompetitive financial industry

Industry urged to revamp governance and put determined effort on overseas expansion.

ICICI keen on foreign currency bonds

The bank is exploring fund-raising opportunities in currencies like the Swiss franc and the Japanese yen.

A better future ahead for Korean banks

As external debt declined to 59% in March of this year, the lowest level in a decade.

China punishes state banks for over-lending

China's central bank just took 20 billion yuan or $3 billion out of state-owned banks by forcing them to purchase packages of central bank bills.

ICBC post growth in SME loans in midwest and northeast China

ICBC increased its loans to small enterprises in the Midwest and Northeast China in the first seven months from 65.6% or 155.2% respectively against beginning of the year.

Chinese banks warned against real estate investments

China’s bank regulator has urged banks to guard against risks in commercial real estate projects that have been targeted by speculative investment.

ICBC cash canagement customers exceed 600,000

ICBC secured more than 600,000 cash management customers by end of June,  an increase of nearly 20% over the end of previous year. This allows ICBC to hold on to the top spot in domestic ranking and reinforces its "No. 1 cash management bank" in China. In response to the increasing demand of customers for global and regional cash management, ICBC being the first commercial bank in China to launch global cash management service, offers a basket of cross-border cash management services to multinational corporate clients worldwide through its independently developed global cash management service system and a global network of branches and correspondent banks. Today, ICBC has built an extensive network of 16,000+ banking offices in China, 220 overseas subsidiaries and 1,516 corresponding banks in 134 countries. Besides, ICBC steps up its effort in forming partnership with other banks. Service scope is expanded via the cash management cooperation with 20+ overseas banks. This year, ICBC set up Asia Pacific Cash Management Center in Hong Kong in an effort to innovate the delivery of cash management service, especially moving the global cash management service to regional for faster response and collaboration. This new service architecture in Asia Pacific places ICBC's head office, regional center and overseas subsidiaries under one roof. The ICBC executive also pointed out that more and more companies start to focus on the liquidity management and risk management worldwide, and exercise more control on the funds operation in a Group. This offers a good opportunity for ICBC to loom large its cash management business. In the next phase, ICBC remains customer-focused.

Philippine banking system's excess liquidity remains high

This should keep the government bond yields low in Q4 2011.

Indonesia to oblige forex savings in local banks

Bank Indonesia will issue a regulation obliging the savings of foreign exchange from exports and foreign loans in doemstic banks, according to Jakarta Post.