The next focusIR Investor Webinar takes places on 14th May with guest speakers from Blue Whale Growth Fund, Taseko Mines, Kavango Resources and CQS Natural Resources fund. Please register here.

Less Ads, More Data, More Tools Register for FREE

Pin to quick picksBarclays Share News (BARC)

Share Price Information for Barclays (BARC)

London Stock Exchange
Share Price is delayed by 15 minutes
Get Live Data
Share Price: 202.35
Bid: 202.15
Ask: 202.25
Change: 1.35 (0.67%)
Spread: 0.10 (0.049%)
Open: 202.50
High: 203.40
Low: 199.58
Prev. Close: 201.00
BARC Live PriceLast checked at -

Watchlists are a member only feature

Login to your account

Alerts are a premium feature

Login to your account

New UK markets watchdog told to improve its game

Thu, 13th Jun 2013 20:23

By Huw Jones

LONDON, June 13 (Reuters) - Britain's new markets watchdoglacks clarity and must be bolder about protecting consumers hitby years of misleading sales tactics, two former toppolicymakers said on Thursday.

The financial crisis prompted Britain to scrap thedecade-old Financial Services Authority and replace it with the Financial Conduct Authority in April.

It supervises some of the world's biggest foreign exchange,stock, bond, commodities and derivatives markets.

FCA non-executive chairman John Griffith-Jones said in hismaiden speech that he was developing a "radar screen" to spotproblems earlier and stamp out bad behaviour such as Liborinterest rate rigging.

But Hector Sants, who headed the FSA until last year, andPaul Myners, financial services minister during the financialcrisis, said the FCA had its work cut out.

Myners said moves toward tougher supervision began under theFSA and that Griffith-Jones had made a safe speech that left hima little disappointed.

Britain's banks have so far paid out over 10 billion poundsin compensation for misleading consumers about loan insurance,the latest in a string of sales scandals spanning two decades.

Myners said many of the directors and non-executives atlenders that sold loan insurance were still in their jobs.

"I would have liked to have got a sense the FCA had a morechallenging position. I didn't really hear that," Myners toldthe event organised by CityUK, which promotes Britain as afinancial centre.

"I fear the FCA, like all regulators, runs the risk of beingcaptured by the regulator. I did not hear a radical agenda."

Sants, part-architect of Britain's new supervisory system,said there were several areas where "greater clarity" was neededto help restore public trust in financial services.

"We need to understand a bit more clearly what the FCA'srisk tolerance actually is," Sants said.

The FCA's approach to the wholesale market and the extent towhich consumers are responsible for what they buy were alsounclear, said Sants, who heads compliance at Barclays Plc.

"To reset the agenda between firms and consumers you have tobe bold," Sants added.

Etay Katz, a financial services lawyer at Allen & Overy,said there was a "waiting game" as banks sought clarity from theFCA on how they can develop new products.

"The trick is to look at the radar and capture the righttarget and not use a scattergun approach and create a lot ofcollateral damage along the way," Katz said.

Griffith-Jones, a former head of KPMG accountants in the UK,said it was early days and the FCA board and executives weredetermined to get it right.

"I think we have got off to a respectable start. Even if youhave doubts, give us the benefit of them," he added.

More News
23 Jan 2024 12:37

UK Chancellor Hunt meets top UK bank heads over plans to boost City

(Alliance News) - Jeremy Hunt has met the UK's biggest banks as part of efforts among the government to boost interest in the City.

Read more
22 Jan 2024 17:14

European shares rise as Wall Street rallies; ECB decision in focus

Kindred jumps on takeover bid from FDJ

*

Read more
22 Jan 2024 16:59

London stocks climb as homebuilders shine, China weakness drags miners

Barclays up after bullish view from MS

*

Read more
22 Jan 2024 08:34

LONDON MARKET OPEN: FTSE 100 follows New York into the green

(Alliance News) - Stock prices in London opened higher on Monday, propelled by gains on Wall Street at the end of last week.

Read more
19 Jan 2024 09:28

LONDON BROKER RATINGS: BofA cuts Pearson, raises Just Eat Takeaway

(Alliance News) - The following London-listed shares received analyst recommendations Friday morning and Thursday:

Read more
18 Jan 2024 14:33

Britain's finance minister Hunt to quiz bank bosses on UK lending

LONDON, Jan 18 (Reuters) - Britain's finance minister Jeremy Hunt will meet the bosses of top British banks next Tuesday to seek reassurance they can keep lending to the economy, four sources familiar with the matter said on Thursday.

Read more
18 Jan 2024 09:26

Sainsbury's to gradually withdraw from banking

LONDON, Jan 18 (Reuters) - British supermarket Sainsbury's said on Thursday it would wind down its banking business and instead offer financial products through third parties, as part of a strategy to focus on its core retail operations.

Read more
17 Jan 2024 18:39

Bank CEOs, huddled in private in Davos, worry about competition, economy - sources

DAVOS, Jan 17 (Reuters) - Bank CEOs meeting in private at the World Economic Forum on Wednesday aired concerns about the competitive risks from fintech firms and private lenders, and complained about onerous regulations, a source familiar with the matter said.

Read more
16 Jan 2024 12:51

Ex-Barclays duo agree Panmure and Liberum investment bank merger

Jan 16 (Reuters) - Former Barclays veterans Bob Diamond and Rich Ricci have agreed an all-share merger of Panmure Gordon and UK rival Liberum, the firms said on Tuesday, creating Britain's largest independent investment bank amid an extended dealmaking slump.

Read more
16 Jan 2024 09:14

LONDON BROKER RATINGS: UBS raises GSK and cuts AstraZeneca

(Alliance News) - The following London-listed shares received analyst recommendations Tuesday morning:

Read more
16 Jan 2024 08:21

TOP NEWS: Panmure Gordon and Liberum merge to "reinvigorate" UK market

(Alliance News) - City brokers Panmure Gordon and Liberum on Tuesday said they have agreed an all-share merger that will create the "UK's largest independent investment bank" with over 250 quoted corporate clients.

Read more
15 Jan 2024 06:01

London finance job vacancies slumped nearly 40% in 2023, recruiter says

LONDON, Jan 15 (Reuters) - Job opportunities in London's financial sector plummeted nearly 40% last year, recruiter Morgan McKinley said on Monday, as market turbulence and high inflation led employers to tighten their belts on costs.

Read more
11 Jan 2024 17:03

M&S shares, Wall Street sell-off drag FTSE lower

U.S. inflation data sparks selloff

*

Read more
11 Jan 2024 11:36

UK finance watchdog probes possible motor finance misconduct

LONDON, Jan 11 (Reuters) - Britain's finance watchdog said on Thursday it would start looking into the motor finance industry, amid rising tensions between thousands of consumers and finance providers about commission arrangements.

Read more
11 Jan 2024 09:26

TOP NEWS: Big Yellow rent hike saves revenue from decreased occupancy

(Alliance News) - Big Yellow Group PLC on Thursday said that revenue and lettable area had increased despite occupancy dropping during the "seasonally weaker third quarter".

Read more

Login to your account

Don't have an account? Click here to register.

Quickpicks are a member only feature

Login to your account

Don't have an account? Click here to register.