FTSE 100 news / Companies and sectors / Banks / 7 October 2026
Banks: sector news on Wednesday 7 October 2026
Average tone +2.1 (slightly positive) across 5 companies with relevant coverage, from 94 stories.
Company by company
| Company | Tone | Stories | What the coverage was about |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Chartered | +5.0 | 34 | Coverage was dominated by the bank's venture arm joining OKX's funding round at a $25 billion valuation, alongside news of its VCC platform passing $2.6 billion and a new Hong Kong wealth centre. |
| HSBC | −4.0 | 24 | Coverage was dominated by reports that HSBC plans sweeping job cuts in its UK wealth business, with advisers reportedly cut by about 70% as it pushes into AI. |
| NatWest Group | +4.0 | 22 | Coverage was mainly about NatWest being named among six banks for the UK's digital gilt pilot, plus Citi naming it a top European bank pick. |
| Lloyds Banking Group | +4.0 | 11 | Coverage leaned positive, led by Goldman keeping its Buy rating, the expanded AI rollout and commentary that the 6% mortgage rate headline overstates pressure on banks. |
| Barclays | +1.7 | 3 | Coverage was mostly analyst notes on other firms, with little about Barclays itself. |
| Lion Finance Group | – | 0 |
Strongest stories in the sector
- +9.2 Lloyds Banking Group stock gains as Goldman keeps Buy rating
Goldman keeps Buy rating, shares gain - +9.2 NatWest is one of Citi's top pick as European bank credit growth holds firm
Citi names NatWest a top European bank pick. - +9.2 NatWest among Citi's top picks as European bank loan growth stays strong despite margin pressures
Citi top pick amid strong loan growth. - +7.5 Standard Chartered’s VCC platform surpasses $2.6 billion in AUM as it launches its 10th sub-fund with BNY Investments
VCC passes $2.6bn AUM with new sub-fund - +7.0 Standard Chartered stock gets USD 2.6 billion wealth milestone
VCC platform reaches $2.6bn wealth milestone - +6.7 Standard Chartered stock: bank launches 10th VCC sub-fund
Bank launches 10th VCC sub-fund, platform growth - +6.3 Standard Chartered opens seventh Wealth Management Centre at One Causeway Bay
Opens seventh Wealth Management Centre in Hong Kong - +5.8 Barclays, Lloyds among 6 lead managers appointed for UK digital gilt, DIGIT
Appointed lead manager for UK digital gilt - −5.8 HSBC said to plan 'wide, brutal' job cuts
'Wide, brutal' job cuts described - +5.8 Lloyds Banking stock: Group expands governed AI rollout
Expanding AI rollout suggests efficiency progress - +5.8 UK Picks Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds, NatWest, Morgan Stanley, RBC for Digital Gilt
Named among six banks chosen for UK digital gilt pilot. - +5.8 OKX Gets New Funding From Circle, Standard Chartered at $25B Valuation
Bank's venture arm invests in OKX at $25B valuation