Standard Chartered PLC Stock on 1 December 2025: Share Price Near Highs, Buyback Momentum and 2026 Outlook

Standard Chartered PLC (LON: STAN) heads into December trading just below its 52‑week high after a year in which the Asia‑focused lender has combined strong earnings, aggressive share buybacks and a deepening push into wealth management and digital assets—while carrying a sizeable legal overhang from a US$2.7 billion 1MDB‑linked lawsuit. ^[1]

Standard Chartered share price on 1 December 2025

On 1 December 2025, Standard Chartered shares are changing hands around 1,670–1,675 pence in London, essentially flat on Friday’s close of 1,673.5p. ^[2]

Key trading metrics:

Year‑to‑date performance: the stock is up roughly 69% so far in 2025, a sharp re‑rating that significantly outpaces most European banks. ^[3]
52‑week range: about 872.8p at the low (hit in April) to roughly 1,684p at the high, leaving the current price within a fraction of its one‑year peak. ^[4]
Recent momentum: the last week has added around 4% and the past three months more than 20%. ^[5]

On valuation, most data providers put Standard Chartered on:

a trailing price‑to‑earnings multiple in the high single to low double digits, roughly 8–11x,
a price‑to‑book ratio close to 0.9–1.0x (GuruFocus estimates today’s PB at about 0.98x, near its 10‑year high), and
a dividend yield around 2–2.5% on trailing payouts. ^[6]

Those numbers underline the core of the current bull case: after years of trading at a deep discount to book value, the market has moved Standard Chartered towards “normal” bank valuations—but not beyond them.

Q3 2025: earnings beat and guidance upgrade

The latest full update investors have is the third‑quarter 2025 results, published on 30 October. On an underlying basis, Standard Chartered delivered: ^[7]

Operating income of US$5.15 billion, up 5% year‑on‑year.
Underlying profit before tax of US$1.99 billion, up about 9–10%.
Underlying earnings per share of 52.3 US cents, up 31%, helped by both higher profits and a shrinking share count.
Underlying return on tangible equity (RoTE) of 13.4%, up 260 basis points versus a year earlier.

The mix of growth matters. Net interest income—what the bank earns on loans and deposits after funding costs—was down about 1% year‑on‑year as lower global rates and margin compression started to bite. Non‑interest income, however, rose 12%, powered by: ^[8]

a record quarter in Wealth Solutions (income up roughly 27%), and
a strong performance in Global Banking (income up more than 20%).

Credit impairment charges were US$195 million, equivalent to an annualised loan‑loss rate of 24 basis points, still comfortably within management’s through‑the‑cycle 30–35bp guidance. Capital and liquidity remained strong, with a Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) ratio of 14.2% and a liquidity coverage ratio of 151%. ^[9]

Crucially, management used the Q3 print to upgrade guidance:

2025 income growth is now expected at the upper end of the previously guided 5–7% range (at constant currency, excluding notable items).
RoTE is now expected to be around 13% in 2025, a year earlier than originally planned. ^[10]

This is the backbone of the current equity story: a bank that has finally lifted returns into the low‑teens while keeping capital comfortably above requirements.

Capital return: US$8 billion and a US$1.3 billion buyback

Standard Chartered has spent the past two years telling investors that it is now in “distribution mode”. That message is backed up by numbers.

The group has committed to return at least US$8 billion to shareholders over 2024–2026 via a combination of ordinary dividends and share buybacks. This target, initially US$5 billion, was lifted in late 2024 and has been reiterated through the 2024 full‑year and 2025 Q3 results. ^[11]

As part of that plan, Standard Chartered launched a US$1.3 billion share buyback after its stronger‑than‑expected mid‑2025 results. ^[12]

By late November:

The bank had already deployed just over US$800 million into repurchases under the current programme. ^[13]
Daily regulatory filings show a steady pattern of purchases around 450,000–490,000 shares per day, often for £7–8 million, across London and European trading venues. ^[14]

On 28 November alone, Standard Chartered bought back 453,265 shares at an average price of 1,672.16p, and indicated it would cancel those shares, reducing total shares in issue to about 2.27 billion. ^[15]

From an equity‑holder’s perspective, this matters in three ways:

It boosts earnings per share by spreading profits over fewer shares.
It supports the share price mechanically by providing a daily source of demand.
It signals management confidence in the bank’s long‑term earnings power at current valuations. ^[16]

Strategic moves: wealth, wellness and digital assets

Wealth and affluent clients

Standard Chartered’s strategy has increasingly tilted toward affluent and high‑net‑worth customers in Asia, supported by heavy investment in its wealth platform. Management has talked about doubling spending on wealth, and the Q3 numbers show that this bet is paying off with double‑digit income growth in wealth management and global banking. ^[17]

A recent Simply Wall St summary notes that analysts expect Standard Chartered’s earnings to grow by about 7–8% per year and revenue by just over 4% annually in coming years, with return on equity forecast around 11–12% in three years—modest but steady compounding for a large bank. ^[18]

“Wealth meets wellness” in Asia

Beyond pure financial offerings, the bank is experimenting with lifestyle‑adjacent propositions. On 27 November, Standard Chartered unveiled a new health and wellness proposition for affluent clients in Hong Kong and Singapore, working with Bupa Global and wearable‑tech company WHOOP to bundle private medical coverage, continuous lifestyle tracking and advisory services into its wealth offering. TechStock²

The aim is to deepen relationships with affluent customers by positioning the bank not just as a manager of money, but as a partner in health and lifestyle—potentially strengthening client stickiness and cross‑sell opportunities across insurance and investment products. TechStock²+1

Digital assets and custody for 21Shares

In the last week of November, Standard Chartered also announced that it has been appointed digital asset custodian for 21Shares, one of the world’s largest issuers of crypto exchange‑traded products. ^[19]

Key points from the deal:

21Shares will initially use Standard Chartered’s newly established digital asset custody service in Luxembourg, which is registered with the local regulator (CSSF). ^[20]
The bank will safeguard crypto underlying several exchange‑traded products, offering “bank‑grade” custody to institutional clients seeking exposure to digital assets within a tightly regulated framework. ^[21]
The partnership is widely read as another step in the migration of crypto infrastructure toward large, regulated financial institutions. ^[22]

The move dovetails with Standard Chartered’s broader digital‑asset push, which includes backing Zodia Custody and supporting institutional crypto infrastructure in the UK and elsewhere. ^[23]

ESG and talent initiatives

On the ESG and talent front, the bank recently highlighted:

a “Futuremakers Women in Tech” programme in Egypt, run with AUC Venture Lab and Village Capital, where 11 women‑led startups completed a cohort and three received US$10,000 grants; and
continued expansion of its global community programmes targeting financial inclusion and entrepreneurship. TechStock²

These initiatives are not immediate profit drivers, but they bolster the bank’s brand in key emerging markets where relationships with regulators and communities can be strategically important. ^[24]

Macro backdrop: Asia exposure and China upgrade

Standard Chartered’s earnings are heavily skewed to Asia: less than 2% of income comes from the UK, versus roughly a quarter from Hong Kong, over 13% from Singapore, and meaningful contributions from China, India, the UAE and other emerging markets. ^[25]

On 1 December 2025, the bank’s research arm nudged its China 2026 GDP growth forecast up to 4.6% from 4.3%, citing resilient exports, easing US‑China trade tensions and productivity gains. It expects Beijing to set a 2026 growth target in a 4.5–5.0% range. ^[26]

For a bank whose fortunes are tightly linked to Asian trade, capital flows and affluent wealth, a more constructive China outlook is supportive for sentiment—even if property‑sector stress and regulatory uncertainty remain live issues.

At the same time, falling global interest rates mean net interest margins are under pressure. Standard Chartered has already guided that 2025 net interest income will be down by a low single‑digit percentage versus 2024, with non‑interest income and cost control expected to offset. ^[27]

Legal and regulatory overhang: the US$2.7 billion 1MDB case

The main cloud hanging over the stock today is the US$2.7 billion lawsuit linked to Malaysia’s 1MDB sovereign wealth fund.

In July 2025, court‑appointed liquidators for entities tied to 1MDB sued Standard Chartered Bank in Singapore, alleging it permitted more than 100 intrabank transfers between 2009 and 2013 that helped conceal the flow of misappropriated funds. Standard Chartered “emphatically” rejected the claims, saying they were without merit. ^[28]
On 25 November 2025, Singapore’s High Court dismissed the bank’s attempt to strike out the suit, clearing the way for the case to proceed. The bank said it disagreed with the decision and will appeal, arguing the claims are brought by shell companies that themselves misappropriated funds and that it had reported their activities before closing the accounts. ^[29]

The case builds on a long‑running global effort to recover money allegedly stolen from 1MDB. Singapore’s central bank previously fined Standard Chartered’s local unit in 2016 for anti‑money‑laundering breaches linked to 1MDB, while noting that it found no willful misconduct. ^[30]

Standard Chartered also faces a separate US$1.9 billion lawsuit in London over claims it breached US sanctions on Iran more extensively than previously admitted. ^[31]

For shareholders, the immediate financial impact of these cases is unknowable; such litigation can take years and may end in settlements far below headline claim amounts—or in more damaging outcomes. What is clear is that they represent a material headline and tail‑risk that investors must factor into any long‑term valuation.

What analysts are saying: ratings, price targets and growth forecasts

Analyst opinion on Standard Chartered is constructive but not wildly bullish, and the sharp 2025 rally has left some valuation metrics stretched relative to history.

Broker ratings and price targets

Different data providers show different sample sizes and methodologies, so their signals vary:

MarketBeat aggregates four “Wall Street” analysts covering the London line. As of 1 December 2025, it shows a consensus rating of “Hold”, with 3 Hold and 1 Buy, and an average 12‑month price target of 1,316p (range 970–1,690p). From the current price around 1,675p, that implies roughly 21% downside. ^[32]
Investing.com’s broader analyst sample paints a somewhat more positive picture, with eight analysts giving an overall “Buy” rating, an average target around 1,609p and a range of roughly 1,405–1,829p. From its quoted last trade of 1,671.5p, that suggests low‑single‑digit downside on average, with some upside in the most optimistic scenarios. ^[33]
MarketScreener, which tracks around 15 analysts globally, summarises the consensus as “Outperform”, with an average target very slightly below the current share price—again consistent with a view that the stock is broadly fairly valued after its 2025 run. ^[34]

Taken together, these snapshots suggest: the street is broadly positive on the business model and capital return story, but sees limited upside at today’s price unless earnings and returns surprise further to the upside.

Fundamental forecasts

On the fundamental side, Simply Wall St compiles analyst expectations that Standard Chartered’s: ^[35]

earnings will grow by about 7–8% per year,
revenue will grow by just over 4% per year, and
return on equity will reach roughly 11–12% over the next three years.

Those are solid but not hyper‑growth figures and help explain why the stock still trades around book value despite a much stronger share‑price performance this year.

Meanwhile, valuation services such as GuruFocus and FTSE Russell highlight that: ^[36]

the current price‑to‑book ratio near 0.9–1.0x is at or close to the top of its 10‑year range for the bank;
the trailing P/E multiple, around 8x based on latest full‑year earnings, is above the long‑term median but still modest versus many global peers; and
the free‑cash‑flow yield remains high by historical standards, suggesting the market is still demanding a discount for legal, macro and structural risks.

Key risks and potential catalysts into 2026

Looking beyond today’s price action, several themes are likely to drive Standard Chartered’s share price over the next 12–18 months:

Q4 2025 and full‑year 2025 results (scheduled for 24 February 2026) will show whether the bank can sustain mid‑single‑digit income growth and low‑teens RoTE as rate tailwinds fade. ^[37]
Progress on the US$1.3 billion buyback and broader US$8 billion distribution plan remains a central support—especially if earnings track guidance and capital ratios stay within the 13–14% CET1 target range. ^[38]
The macro path in Asia, including China’s growth trajectory and cross‑border capital flows, will be crucial for wealth, trade finance and markets income. Standard Chartered’s upgraded China forecast underlines cautious optimism but not exuberance. ^[39]
Resolution—or escalation—of legal cases, particularly the 1MDB suit in Singapore and the separate sanctions‑related claim in London, could significantly change perceptions of tail‑risk and capital flexibility. ^[40]
The bank’s success in turning initiatives like the 21Shares custody mandate, health‑and‑wealth partnerships, AI roll‑outs and Islamic finance capabilities into scalable, profitable franchises will determine whether the growth story extends beyond a “rates‑plus‑buybacks” narrative. ^[41]

Bottom line: a re‑rated bank with real momentum—and real risks

As of 1 December 2025, Standard Chartered looks like a very different equity story from the deeply discounted, structurally doubted bank of a few years ago. Earnings are growing, returns have pushed into the low‑teens, capital is solid, and management is aggressively returning cash via dividends and share buybacks. The share price, up almost 70% this year and near its 52‑week high, reflects that transformation. ^[42]

At the same time, the stock now trades near book value and at the upper end of its historical valuation range, while facing substantial legal uncertainty around 1MDB and sanctions litigation, as well as the normal cyclical risks of a bank heavily exposed to emerging markets and to falling interest rates. ^[43]

For investors and commentators following Standard Chartered into 2026, the central question is whether the bank can continue to deliver enough growth, capital return and strategic progress to justify the re‑rating—while navigating the legal and macro headwinds that still shadow the story.