The Swiss voice in the world since 1935

Credit Suisse looks to speed up cuts as revenue outlook worsens

Credit Suisse
Credit Suisse shares fell to a fresh record low on Thursday © Keystone / Michael Buholzer

Swiss bank Credit Suisse is looking for ways to accelerate cost cuts announced just weeks ago as client outflows and a slowdown in activity weigh on its revenue outlook, according to three people with knowledge of the talks.

The cost savings are likely to involve more job cuts than previously announced for the first wave of reductions, including in its mainstay wealth business, said the sources, who asked to remain anonymous because the discussions are private.

Credit Suisse is cutting about 5% of its private banking headcount in the Asian financial hub of Hong Kong, two of the sources told the Reuters news agency, targeting mainly mid- and junior-level bankers, in cuts that go deeper than reductions outlined before.

Credit Suisse declined to comment on job cuts in the Hong Kong private banking business.

Credit Suisse said in October it intended to reduce its cost base by around CHF2.5 billion ($2.67 billion) to about CHF14.5 billion in 2025.

More

“As previously outlined, the bank is already making strides with these cost-reduction activities, following a clear execution roadmap,” the bank told Reuters on Thursday.

It had said it would eliminate 2,700 jobs starting in the fourth quarter as it scales back its scandal-hit investment bank to increase its focus on wealth and asset management.

Asset drain

However, the loss-making bank has seen clients pull 6% of assets under management in the six weeks through November 11, a drain that had led to the liquidity at some of its entities drop below regulatory requirements. The outflows also hit revenue.

More

Client outflows have partially reversed and very few clients have left entirely, Credit Suisse Chairman Axel Lehmann told a Financial Times conference on Thursday.

Credit Suisse shares fell to a fresh record low on Thursday nearing the offer price of the CHF2.24 billion rights issue needed to help stabilise its finances.

The fresh round of private banking cuts signals challenges facing Credit Suisse as it shifts towards banking for the wealthy, after vowing to ramp up wealth management globally.

Two sources said the cuts in the Hong Kong private banking team mainly involved those associated with the China wealth management business.

More

Popular Stories

Most Discussed

News

Only one in five people attend a religious service at Easter

More

Just one in five Swiss attend a religious service at Easter

This content was published on Only one in five people in Switzerland attend a religious service during the Easter period or give up meat or alcohol for at least one day of fasting. Around 25% of those polled see Easter primarily as a family holiday, according to the survey.

Read more: Just one in five Swiss attend a religious service at Easter
Posters condemning Stephan Schmidheiny's role in asbestos deaths in Italy.

More

Swiss businessman gets prison term for asbestos deaths

This content was published on Stephan Schmidheiny has been sentenced to 9 years and 6 months in prison by the Turin Court of Appeal in a case against the former Eternit executive over deaths linked to asbestos exposure in Italy.

Read more: Swiss businessman gets prison term for asbestos deaths
Swiss foreign trade booms in the first quarter

More

Swiss foreign trade booms in the first quarter

This content was published on Swiss imports and exports reached new heights in the first quarter, driven by the chemicals and pharmaceuticals sectors. Shipments to the US rose sharply.

Read more: Swiss foreign trade booms in the first quarter

In compliance with the JTI standards

More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative

You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!

If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR