Banking

Bloomberg Standard Bank Group Ltd is aiming to grow its customer base by at least 10 million across the 20 African countries it operates in over the next four years. Africa’s biggest lender is looking to add more digitally engaged customers, forge alliances with distribution partners and expand its product offering as it plots a recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. ...

Bloomberg New Zealand’s central bank refrained from raising interest rates during a coronavirus outbreak and nationwide lockdown but left little doubt it intends to start lifting them soon. The Reserve Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee kept the official cash rate (OCR) at 0.25%, but Governor Adrian Orr said the decision was made in light of the lockdown and that policy was ...

Bloomberg The Philippine central bank will stop accepting applications for digital banking licenses from September 1, Governor Benjamin Diokno said. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas will close the application window for three years to allow the regulator “to better monitor” the performance of the industry, Diokno said in a briefing. Submissions on or before end-August will be processed on a first-come, ...

Bloomberg Goldman Sachs Group Inc’s Petershill unit, which specialises in buying stakes in alternative asset managers, is considering listing a permanent capital vehicle in London as soon as this year, people familiar with the matter said. Petershill is working with advisers on the potential initial public offering (IPO), the people said, asking not to be identified because the information is ...

Bloomberg Indonesia’s central bank left its benchmark interest rate at a record low to protect the currency, and said it had formulated a plan to deal with eventual US policy tightening. Bank Indonesia kept the seven-day reverse repurchase rate at 3.5%, as expected by all 28 analysts in a Bloomberg survey. Interest rates have been on hold since February’s 25-basis ...

Bloomberg The Chinese central bank’s branch in Shenzhen ordered almost a dozen companies operating in the technology hub to rectify illegal activities related to cryptocurrencies, signalling an intensifying crackdown on digital assets. The People’s Bank of China’s (PBOC) Shenzhen branch started a “rectification project” targeting illegal trading of virtual currencies and “cleaned up” 11 firms allegedly involved in illegal activities ...

Bloomberg The recent flood of US regional bank deals may be drying up. After announcing $76 billion in mergers and acquisitions so far this year — the most since 2008 — US lenders are now running out of potential partners, according to executives and investment bankers. Fewer buyers exist following takeovers by Citizens Financial Group Inc, PNC Financial Services Group ...

Bloomberg Goldman Sachs Group Inc’s asset-management division hired Maria Vassalou, who most recently ran her own firm and spent years at Perella Weinberg Partners, to help manage funds at a $200 billion unit. Vassalou is the deputy chief investment officer at Goldman’s multi-asset solutions group, according to people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified discussing personnel ...

Bloomberg The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) said it will continue to review its bond-buying program based on economic conditions and the health situation as the nation faces lockdowns to combat the delta variant of coronavirus. “The board would be prepared to act in response to further bad news on the health front should that lead to a more significant ...

Bloomberg The National Bank of Ethiopia asked all commercial banks to temporarily suspend providing loans backed by collateral, such as land and buildings. The NBE’s directive follows findings that the money is being used on the black market, State Minister for Finance, Eyob Tekalign, said on Shefer FM radio. The security authorities and the central bank are taking action as ...