StanChart: Wealth Solutions Fuel Higher Profit
UK-headquartered Standard Chartered delivered a higher profit in the first quarter from an increase in income across the board, most notably from its wealth management business.
Standard Chartered posted a pre-tax profit of $2.1 billion in the first quarter of 2025, according to the bank’s financial results, up 10 percent compared to $1.9 billion in the same period last year.
Income rose 5 percent to $5.4 billion with double-digit growth from global markets, global banking and, most notably, wealth solutions which increased by 26 percent to $777 million. Operating expenses inched 2 percent higher, driven by business growth, targeted investments and inflation, which was partly offset by efficiency saves.
Tariffs Risks
According to group CEO Bill Winters, the bank delivered a «strong performance» in the first quarter but is wary of risks in the external environment including the ongoing trade war. As a result, the bank has upped a non-linearity charge by $23 million to $66 million to reflect an increased probability weighting from 10 percent to 15 percent due to the «Global Trade and Geopolitical Trade Tensions» scenario.
«The subsequent imposition of trade tariffs has increased global economic and geopolitical complexity, and we remain watchful of the external environment,» Winters commented.
«But our ability to help clients manage their business and wealth across borders in times of volatility reinforces our confidence that we can continue to improve returns. Our presence in structurally high-growth markets across Asia, Africa and the Middle East is key to driving long-term sustainable value for our shareholders, and we remain focused on reinforcing these competitive advantages to drive future growth.»
