London, Jan 7, 2026, 09:38 GMT — Regular session
• Shares fall about 1.8% in London trade, easing from recent highs
• Bank restates 2025 income and profitability targets in a Q4 update note
• Investors weigh buyback support against macro nerves ahead of key U.S. labour data
Standard Chartered PLC STAN.L shares fell 1.8% to 1,804 pence by mid-morning trade in London on Wednesday. Other UK lenders were also weaker, with NatWest Group down 2.6% and HSBC off 0.6%. Standard Chartered traded between 1,801 and 1,834.5 pence, after a recent 52-week high of 1,875.5 pence.
The move comes a day after the bank published a note summarising key messages from its fourth-quarter 2025 investor and conference appearances, keeping its core targets unchanged. Standard Chartered said it was tracking “towards the upper end” of its 5–7% income growth range for 2025 at constant currency — stripping out foreign-exchange swings — and guided to roughly 13% RoTE, or return on tangible equity, a key profitability measure. Chief executive Bill Winters flagged “a bit of slowdown” in the fourth quarter after a “exceptionally strong” third quarter, while the bank kept its full-year results date for Feb. 24.
Standard Chartered also disclosed fresh share repurchases, a support investors have leaned on as the stock has rallied. The lender said it bought 530,530 shares on Jan. 6 at prices ranging from 1,845.5 to 1,872 pence, and plans to cancel them, reducing the share count. The bank put the average at 1,855.83 pence using a volume-weighted average price (VWAP), which weights each trade by size.
The broader backdrop has turned more cautious after a sharp start to the year in London equities. The FTSE 100 surged through the 10,000-point mark on Tuesday, setting fresh highs as investors rotated into heavyweight sectors.
Macro jitters also crept back in after a sharp drop in oil prices, and as traders positioned for U.S. labour-market updates that can shift rate bets. Michael McCarthy, CEO of investment platform Moomoo Australia and New Zealand, said the latest Venezuela oil developments “most likely” support global growth, but the uncertainty around supply can still “overwhelm the benefit.” Markets were awaiting the JOLTS job-openings report later on Wednesday and the U.S. monthly employment report on Friday.
For Standard Chartered, investors are now weighing how far buybacks and reiterated targets can steady the stock after a steep run. Traders will also look for any new colour on costs, credit losses and fee growth when the bank reports full-year numbers.
But the stock’s climb has narrowed the margin for error. A softer-than-expected fourth quarter, or a sharp shift in rate expectations after U.S. data, could test sentiment even if the buyback continues.
