By Valentina Za MILAN, Feb 19 (Reuters) - Introducing the digital euro could cost European banks between 4 billion and 6 billion euros ($4.7-$7.1 billion) spread over four ‌years, a senior European Central Bank policymaker said on Thursday. ECB Governing Council member ‌Piero Cipollone also said the new digital‑only central bank currency which the ECB is working on is estimated ​to cost around 1.3 billion euros to set up. Operational costs would then be about 300 million euros, he added, without speci ...

Group 1: Investment Opportunities - Investing does not require millions; starting with $500 can allow investment in financial stocks like Nu Holdings and SoFi Technologies, which are experiencing growth despite being in the less-publicized banking sector [1] - SoFi's revenue has increased by 2,900% over the past five years, reaching $4.77 billion in the last 12 months, and the company is now profitable with over $500 million in pretax income in 2025 [4] - Nubank's revenue rose 42% year over year to $4.2 billion, with net income increasing to $783 million, showcasing its ability to grow rapidly while remaining profitable [8] Group 2: Company Profiles - SoFi began as a student loan lender in 2011 and has evolved into a comprehensive online banking application, attracting 13.7 million customers by the end of 2025, a 35% year-over-year growth [3] - Nubank, part of Nu Holdings, operates in Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia, offering services through a mobile app and avoiding traditional banking costs, which has led to a customer base of 106 million as of Q3 2025 [6][7] - Both SoFi and Nubank focus on providing a better value proposition through technology and customer-centric services, positioning them for continued revenue growth [6][7]

Core Insights - EFG International reported a net profit of SFr325.2m ($420.5m) for 2025, reflecting a 1% year-over-year increase, impacted by a litigation provision related to Kuwait's public pension fund [1] - The firm achieved revenues of SFr1.67bn with a consistent revenue margin of 98 basis points, while operating profit rose by 26% to SFr493.1m from SFr391m in 2024 [1] Financial Performance - Operating expenses increased by 6% to SFr1.17bn, with acquisitions of Cité Gestion and Investment Services Group (ISG) contributing 2.4 percentage points to this rise [2] - Assets under management (AuM) reached SFr185bn at the end of 2025, marking a 12% increase compared to the end of 2024, driven by net new assets of SFr11.3bn and positive acquisition impacts [2] - The net new asset growth rate was 6.8%, exceeding the company's target range of 4% to 6% [2] Regional Contributions - The Asia Pacific region saw net new assets of SFr3.2bn, primarily due to additions to the client relationship officer (CRO) team [3] - The Americas contributed SFr3.3bn in inflows, while Switzerland & Italy reported SFr1.9bn, Continental Europe and the Middle East brought in SFr1.6bn, and the UK added SFr1bn [3] - Other business segments, including EFG Asset Management funds, recorded SFr0.3bn in net inflows [3] Growth and Acquisitions - In 2025, EFG International secured agreements with 79 new CROs, surpassing its annual recruitment target excluding acquisitions [4] - Recent acquisitions included ISG through Shaw and Partners, Cité Gestion, and Quilvest Switzerland, with ISG and Cité Gestion contributing a combined SFr11.7bn to AuM [5] - The Quilvest transaction is expected to complete in Q3 2026, pending regulatory approval [5] Strategic Initiatives - The group plans to invest in digital tools to enhance CRO support and client service as part of its business transformation efforts [6] - All announced acquisitions align with EFG's merger and acquisition strategy, projected to deliver at least a 10% return on investment within three years of integration [6]

佩里·瓦吉约指出，当前全球金融市场不确定性仍高，较低的基准利率对推动印尼经济增长十分必要。 在通胀保持受控的前提下，未来仍存在进一步下调基准利率的空间。 印尼央行上一次降息是在2025年9月。目前的基准利率，为该国自2022年以来的最低水平。(完) 印尼央行行长佩里·瓦吉约当天在新闻发布会上表示，维持利率不变有助于稳定印尼盾汇率，将2026年 和2027年的通胀率控制在2.5%±1%的目标区间内，并推动经济实现可持续增长。 在印尼央行公布上述决定后，印尼盾对美元汇率当天收盘时转而走强。根据路孚特(Refinitiv)数据，印 尼盾收于1美元兑16870印尼盾，较前一交易日升值0.03%，结束了此前连续三个交易日的贬值走势。 中新社雅加达2月19日电 (记者 李志全)印度尼西亚央行19日宣布，将基准利率维持在4.75%，同时继续 将存款利率维持在3.75%、贷款利率维持在5.50%。 印尼央行理事会2月18日至19日举行会议并作出上述决定。这也是印尼央行连续第五个月将基准利率保 持在4.75%，符合市场普遍预期。 ...

Citi has completed the sale of its former Russian subsidiary, AO Citibank, to Renaissance Capital, marking the bank’s full withdrawal from Russia. The agreement covers all remaining business activities in the country and affects around 800 employees. Approvals for the transaction included sign-off from President Vladimir Putin in November last year, followed by internal approval within Citi in December. The bank first announced its decision to leave the Russian consumer market in April 2021, later broa ...

When you don't know what to pay for a stock you tend to sell it. Right now, we have people selling technology shares left and right because they are unsure of what they own and what it might be worth. They are looking at the incredible shrinking price-to-earnings ratio — the "multiple" — and they are saying get me out of here. I see it. And not just in tech. What do we pay for Danaher when it buys a company , Masimo, that we have long since disliked, ever since its litigation with Apple over patent infringe ...

As the prospect of flood damage haunts an ever larger number of UK homes, the country’s banks are under growing pressure to prove they’re not underestimating the risk in their mortgage books.Nationwide Building Society — once seen as an outlier after saying in 2024 it had stopped making loans to some homes at risk of flooding — has emerged as a prescient first-mover amid growing banker anxiety, according to Mark Cunningham, managing director at PriceHubble, a property data company. The risk is that a bank i ...

Core Insights - CD rates are currently higher than historical averages, with the best rates reaching 4% APY, particularly from online banks [2][3] - The Federal Reserve has been cutting its target rate, leading to a decline in CD rates since last year, with predictions of further cuts in 2026 [2][4] Group 1: Current CD Rates - The highest CD rate available today is 4% APY, offered by Marcus by Goldman Sachs for its 1-year CD [2] - Several financial institutions are providing competitive rates of 4% APY and above, especially among online banks [2] Group 2: Federal Reserve Impact - The Federal Reserve has decreased the federal funds rate three times in late 2024 by a total of one percentage point, impacting CD rates indirectly [3][5] - As the Fed lowers its rates, financial institutions typically adjust their deposit interest rates accordingly, leading to a potential decline in CD rates [5] Group 3: Opening a CD - The process for opening a CD account includes researching competitive rates, choosing an account that meets financial needs, and preparing necessary documents [6] - Applicants can often complete the application online, and funding the account can be done through transfers or checks [6]

Mortgage rates fell sharply this week as tensions between the US and Iran stoked the possibility of military conflict. Inflation concerns also lingered, as evidenced in the minutes of the Federal Reserve's latest meeting. The 30-year fixed mortgage rate fell 8 basis points to 6.01% for the week ending Wednesday, according to Freddie Mac. That's the lowest level since September 2022. The 15-year fixed dropped 9 basis points to 5.35%. “This lower rate environment is not only improving affordability for pro ...

Mortgage Rates Overview - The 30-year fixed mortgage rate has increased by 11 basis points to 5.89%, while the 15-year rate rose by four basis points to 5.38% [1] - Despite the increase, the 30-year loan rate remains close to a three-year low [1] - The Mortgage Bankers Association reported an increase in refinance applications as rates remain favorable [1] Current Mortgage Rates - Current national average mortgage rates include: - 30-year fixed: 5.89% - 20-year fixed: 5.79% - 15-year fixed: 5.38% - 5/1 ARM: 5.99% - 7/1 ARM: 5.79% - 30-year VA: 5.38% - 15-year VA: 5.08% - 5/1 VA: 4.98% [4] Refinance Rates - Today's refinance rates show slight variations, with refinance rates generally being higher than purchase mortgage rates [3][11] - Current refinance rates include: - 30-year fixed: 5.97% - 20-year fixed: 5.86% - 15-year fixed: 5.47% - 5/1 ARM: 6.28% - 7/1 ARM: 6.19% - 30-year VA: 5.46% - 15-year VA: 5.07% - 5/1 VA: 4.81% [5] Mortgage Rate Determinants - Mortgage rates are influenced by controllable factors such as lender comparison, credit scores, debt-to-income ratios, and down payments [9][10] - Uncontrollable factors include economic conditions, where struggling economies typically lead to lower mortgage rates to encourage borrowing [11] Mortgage Types - Fixed-rate mortgages lock in the interest rate for the entire loan term, while adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) have an initial fixed period followed by periodic adjustments [7] - A 30-year fixed mortgage offers lower monthly payments but incurs more interest over time, whereas a 15-year fixed mortgage has higher monthly payments but lower overall interest costs [12][13] Market Insights - The lowest-ever 30-year fixed mortgage rate recorded was 2.65% in January 2021, and it is unlikely to drop below 3% in the near future [16] - Experts suggest refinancing when a new rate is at least 1% to 2% lower than the current rate, depending on individual financial goals [17]