Many Enter into Force at the Outset of 2013
LONDON (Dow Jones)–Financial services firms operating within the U.K. anticipate to cut investment and slash jobs inside the first quarter of the year responding to greater competition, tougher regulation plus a weakening global economy, based on market research published Monday.
A survey of 106 banks, insurers and asset managers through the Confederation of British Industry, an employers’ group, and business services firm PricewaterhouseCoopers found firms enjoyed better-than-expected earnings in the final quarter of 2011 but expect business this coming year to be tougher.
The sovereign debt crisis roiling the euro zone continues to overshadow that is a, survey respondents said. The down sides banks face getting funding as a consequence of investor nervousness regarding potential losses from bad euro-zone government loans was presented with as one of the key factors more likely to crimp investment in 2012. Weak requirement for financial services and greater competition will probably limit business expansion, firms said.
Ian McCafferty, the CBI’s chief economic adviser, told reporters financial services companies shed about 9,000 jobs within the U.K. inside the final 3 months of 2011 along with the CBI expects another 11,000 job losses in the first quarter on this year. There was about 1.04 million people utilized in financial services at the conclusion of 2011.
The survey found firms experienced stronger-than-expected development in business volumes in the final quarter of 2011, largely due to greater activity in febrile real estate markets. Banks said business volumes were higher than normal the very first time since June 2007. Income from interest, investment and trading grew on the quickest pace since June 2006, survey respondents said, while fees and commissions also rose, boosting profits.
Survey respondents said they expect business volumes and income to maintain expanding inside the first quarter, albeit with a much slower pace. And the ones expectations are tempered by increasing pessimism about the strength in the global economy.
“Firms are less optimistic, employment is down and investment intentions just for this year are weaker, as concerns about the global recovery and recurring troubles within the euro zone create uncertainty,” McCafferty said. The contributes between 10% and 12% on the U.K.’s annual gross domestic product, and McCafferty said first-quarter output might be held back if funding conditions mean banks can’t receive the capital to fuel growth elsewhere in the economy.
The survey found one region where firms do expect to channel investment is in complying with regulations. Financial services firms in the U.K. face a slew of recent rules, including higher capital requirements for banks and insurers to stricter consumer protection requirements for financial advisers. Many enter into force at the outset of 2013.
And within an ominous sign for the U.K. economy in 2012, the survey also found banks expect bad loans to go up this coming year, specially in their retail loan books.