Core Viewpoint - A Swiss court ruling has provided new hope for approximately 3,000 Credit Suisse bondholders seeking damages after the write-down of 16.5 billion Swiss francs ($20.5 billion) in additional-tier 1 bonds during UBS's government-brokered rescue of Credit Suisse in March 2023 [1][2]. Legal Proceedings - The Swiss Federal Administrative Court ruled on October 1, allowing bondholders to appeal and revoking the previous decree, although the court has not yet decided on the reversal request [2][6]. - The other cases related to this issue are now suspended until the final decision on the decree's revocation is made, indicating that actual compensation may take years [2][7]. Controversy Surrounding AT1 Bonds - The write-down of AT1 bonds during the Credit Suisse rescue was controversial, as typically shareholders absorb losses before bondholders [3]. - The government and regulator Finma argued that investors should have been aware of the risks outlined in the bonds' fine print [3]. Market Reaction - Following the court ruling, UBS shares fell by 2.1%, trading at 31.80 Swiss francs [4]. - Prices for claims tied to the AT1 bonds increased significantly, with dealers willing to buy claims for as much as 22 cents on the dollar, up from about 12 cents prior to the ruling [5]. Future Implications - The court stated that the bondholders' property rights were significantly interfered with without a clear legal basis, which raises questions about the future of the write-down [8][9]. - Finma, the Swiss government, and the Swiss National Bank have the option to appeal this ruling to the Swiss Supreme Court, which could further delay any resolution [6][7].

By Dave Graham, John Revill and Oliver Hirt ZURICH (Reuters) -Writing off 16.5 billion Swiss francs ($20.53 billion) in Credit Suisse bonds was unlawful, a Swiss court ruled on Tuesday, boosting bondholders' hopes of recouping losses and raising fresh questions about how authorities handled the bank's rescue. Swiss market regulator FINMA's decision in March 2023 to wipe out Credit Suisse's Additional Tier 1 (AT1) bonds during the state-engineered takeover by its rival UBS triggered an investor backlash a ...

By Dave Graham, John Revill and Kirsti Knolle ZURICH (Reuters) -Swiss authorities' 2023 decision to write off 16.5 billion Swiss francs ($20.53 billion) in Credit Suisse bonds was unlawful, a court said on Tuesday, raising fresh questions about how the bank's rescue and subsequent takeover by UBS was handled. The March 2023 decision by market regulator FINMA to wipe out Credit Suisse's Additional Tier 1 (AT1) bonds during the state-engineered takeover by its old rival UBS triggered an investor backlash a ...

Core Insights - Bigbank's total gross loan portfolio reached a record high of 2.44 billion euros, increasing by 141 million euros (+6%) quarter on quarter and 537 million euros (+28%) year on year, primarily driven by business and home loans [1] - The bank's net profit for the first half of 2025 was 18.7 million euros, with a second-quarter profit of 8.9 million euros, reflecting a slight decrease of 0.5 million euros (-5%) compared to the same quarter in 2024 [3][17] - The deposit portfolio grew by 96 million euros (+4%) quarter on quarter and 393 million euros (+17%) year on year, reaching 2.65 billion euros, with significant growth in savings deposits [2][18] Loan Portfolio - The business loan portfolio increased by 54 million euros (+7%) to 862 million euros, while the home loan portfolio rose by 53 million euros (+8%) to 717 million euros [1] - The consumer loan portfolio saw a modest increase of 19 million euros (+2%) to 860 million euros [1] - Business loans became the largest credit product line in terms of portfolio size for the first time in Bigbank's history [1] Deposit Portfolio - The savings deposit portfolio grew by 154 million euros to 1.3 billion euros (+13%), while the term deposit portfolio decreased by 59 million euros to 1.34 billion euros [2] - The current accounts for retail customers in Estonia totalled 3.4 million euros, with all holders earning interest at a competitive rate of 2% [2][19] Financial Performance - Interest income for the second quarter amounted to 45.2 million euros, an increase of 1.8 million euros (+4%) year on year [4] - Net interest income grew by 1.2 million euros (+5%) year on year to 25.7 million euros [4] - The net allowance for expected credit losses decreased to 1.4 million euros, down 4.4 million euros year on year, indicating improved loan portfolio quality [5][17] Operational Developments - Bigbank's employee count reached 613, with salary expenses for the second quarter totaling 8.2 million euros, up 1.8 million euros year on year (+28%) [6] - The bank launched a mobile app for retail customers in Estonia, with plans to expand to Lithuania and Latvia [7][19] - Bigbank issued Additional Tier 1 (AT1) bonds totaling 2.44 million euros and increased the volume of a Tier 2 bond offering from 3 million euros to 6 million euros due to strong investor interest [9][10][20] Asset and Investment Portfolio - The value of the investment property portfolio was 72.3 million euros, with a notable decrease in the value of agricultural land in Estonia by 1.7 million euros (around 5%) [8] - Total assets surpassed 3 billion euros for the first time, reaching 3.1 billion euros as of 30 June 2025 [21]