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Standard Chartered, HSBC expected to report weaker results as choppy markets, China’s economic slowdown weigh on outlook
- Standard Chartered is due to kick off Hong Kong bank earnings season when it reports on Friday
- The lenders could face weaker results after market uncertainty hit global deal making, according to analysts.
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Chad Brayin London
When HSBC and Standard Chartered report their interim results beginning this week, investors will be closely watching for guidance on the outlook for Hong Kong’s economy and whether further strains have emerged in their commercial property portfolios in mainland China.
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Standard Chartered will be the first of the city’s three currency-issuing banks to update investors on its half-year performance on Friday, followed by HSBC on Monday and Bank of China (Hong Kong) next month.
Even with an improving macroeconomic outlook and better net interest margins, loan growth has been flattish in Hong Kong and fee income could be sluggish in the quarter for banks in Hong Kong.
“Despite a 20 per cent rebound from the trough on the Hang Seng Index, retail investor sentiment remains weak, impacting investment distribution income,” Citigroup analyst Yafei Tian said in a research note.
“Hence we forecast fee income to be broadly flattish quarter on quarter, with soft wealth offset by some improvements in credit card fees.”
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Key areas to watch will be the expansion of net interest margins on the back of rising interest rates, particularly with accelerated increases by the US Federal Reserve, more provisions related to a deterioration in the Chinese commercial real estate market and a moderation in capital markets and trading, Tian said.
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