London, February 13, 2026, 09:01 GMT — Regular session
Standard Chartered PLC (STAN.L) shares picked up about 0.6% to reach 1,740.5 pence by 0900 GMT in early London trading Friday, recovering a portion of Thursday’s 4.7% slide.
The rebound’s important—investors are weighing whether this week’s turbulence is really about the bank or just a market eager to shed risk. Standard Chartered’s got a packed calendar ahead, with new finance leadership settling in and a results date on the horizon.
Sentiment has shifted lately, with a more defensive stance taking hold outside the company. Tech shares dragged Wall Street lower, raising fresh concerns about AI’s potential to pressure profit margins. Traders are also bracing for U.S. inflation numbers set for release later Friday. “The prevailing tone in markets is a rotation toward more defensive areas,” said Chris Weston, head of research at Pepperstone. Reuters
Standard Chartered on Feb. 10 announced the sudden departure of group CFO Diego De Giorgi, who exited the role immediately. Deputy CFO Peter Burrill stepped in as interim finance chief. CEO Bill Winters pointed to Burrill’s ability to maintain “valuable continuity” within the finance team. The bank said a permanent CFO will be named in due course. Standard Chartered
The bank’s digital assets push isn’t slowing down. On Wednesday, it announced a strategic tie-up with crypto liquidity firm B2C2, aiming to boost institutional access by integrating B2C2’s spot and options liquidity into Standard Chartered’s own settlement and banking infrastructure. “Regulated, scalable market linkage,” is how Luke Boland, Standard Chartered’s Asia fintech lead, summed up the target. B2C2 chief executive Thomas Restout highlighted the bank’s “strong regulatory credentials” and worldwide footprint. Standard Chartered
Just a day after, London Stock Exchange Group announced plans for an on-chain settlement service targeting institutional investors, naming Standard Chartered as one of the key financial players backing the initiative. “As tokenisation continues to mature, interoperability between traditional and digital market infrastructure will be critical,” said Angus Fletcher, global head of digital solutions at State Street. Reuters
A fresh Schedule 13G filed Thursday reveals Standard Chartered Bank HK and Standard Chartered Bank PLC collectively hold roughly 10.34 million shares in Polestar Automotive Holding UK—good for a 9.14% slice of the class. The 13G, used when investors pass that 5% threshold without seeking control, details the funds’ passive position.
Shares in London slipped Thursday, the FTSE 100 giving up early gains to close down 0.7%—despite notching a fresh record high earlier, Reuters said. Investors leaned risk-averse as global sentiment soured, overshadowing a handful of deal-related movers. Figures showed UK GDP edged up just 0.1% in Q4, reinforcing bets that the Bank of England could move toward another rate cut in March.
Standard Chartered’s next test is in the figures themselves and what’s ahead. Investors will also be watching to see if management sheds light on what comes after the interim finance chief.
Still, that early bounce in the stock might not last if global risk sentiment sours or if investors decide the CFO handover is shaping up to be a protracted affair. Standard Chartered’s footprint across volatile markets in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East means any sharp moves in currencies or growth outlooks tend to hit it harder.
Standard Chartered is set to announce its Q4 2025 and full-year numbers on Tuesday, Feb. 24. The bank plans to release results at 0400 UK time, followed by a presentation later in the morning. Investors are likely to focus on any new guidance, as well as updates regarding the search for a permanent CFO.
