London, Jan 19, 2026, 09:16 GMT — Regular session
- Shares of Standard Chartered dipped roughly 0.7% in early London trading, pulling back from Friday’s close at a 52-week peak.
- The bank revealed it completed another round of share buybacks on Friday as part of its ongoing programme.
- Markets turned risk-off following new U.S. tariff threats targeting European nations, Britain included.
Standard Chartered (STAN.L) shares slipped roughly 0.7% to 1,865 pence by 09:16 GMT, following Friday’s close at 1,878.5 pence — marking the peak of their 52-week range. 1
European stocks dipped at the open following U.S. President Donald Trump’s warning of fresh tariffs if the U.S. isn’t permitted to purchase Greenland. ING economists commented, “The rationale for higher tariffs is now even more political and less economic.” 2
Currency markets showed similar caution. “The impact … has been more towards dollar weakness every time there is heightened policy uncertainty,” noted Khoon Goh, head of Asia research at ANZ. At the same time, Rabobank’s chief currency strategist Jane Foley cautioned against thinking “the dollar’s safe-haven status is gone.” 3
Deutsche Bank’s George Saravelos flagged a deeper concern if the standoff persists, describing it as “a weaponisation of capital rather than trade flows” — a move that would cause the most disruption. 4
Standard Chartered revealed it repurchased 535,597 shares on Jan. 16, paying a volume-weighted average of 1,865.79 pence each. The prices ranged between 1,848 and 1,877.5 pence. According to a filing, the bank has spent around $1.21 billion on buybacks since launching the programme last July. 5
A share buyback happens when a company buys back its own shares, typically to reduce the number of shares outstanding and boost earnings per share. It can also provide steady support to the stock during slower trading periods.
The buyback announcement came as the stock attempts to maintain its recent rally. Standard Chartered has outperformed many London-listed banks, buoyed by hopes for steady capital returns.
But it’s not just company fundamentals driving the tape this morning. Should tariff threats solidify into actual policy—and Europe retaliates—banks with extensive cross-border operations could see sharp declines on worries over slowing global growth.
Traders are now focused on the upcoming headlines: any EU moves on retaliation plans and if Davos brings new clues on trade policy and geopolitics.
Standard Chartered’s next major event is its Q4 and full-year earnings release on Feb. 24. Investors will focus on guidance, credit trends, and how quickly shareholder payouts might accelerate. 6
