Mahathir Worries About a World More Tense and Divided by the Day
This week, Bloomberg Weekend Editor-at-Large Mishal Husain takes you behind the scenes at her interview with the legendary Mahathir Mohamad, who celebrated his 100th birthday on Thursday, Gabrielle Ng asks students how university finance clubs help them to get hired, and Katrina Nicholas tastes NYC Latin vibes in Stanley Street.
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Yahoo
28 minutes ago
- Yahoo
With Barclays' share price falling behind, which UK bank stock looks better value today?
After a strong 2024, the Barclays (LSE: BARC) share price has struggled to keep pace so far in 2025. Among the five major UK banks on the FTSE 100, Barclays is lagging most of its peers. By contrast, Lloyds (LSE: LLOY) shares have been on a tear, surging almost 40% year-to-date. Looking at the broader UK economy, various factors continue to affect the banking industry. Inflation remains sticky at around 3.4%, while the Bank of England holds interest rates steady at 4.25%. Geopolitical risks, from the ongoing situation in Eastern Europe to political uncertainty in the US ahead of the presidential election, are adding to investor caution. Still, higher rates have so far helped banks' net interest income, though loan defaults are an ever-present worry in a fragile economy. So as we enter the second half of 2025, which of these banking heavyweights looks the better value buy? Barclays is the second-largest UK bank by market capitalisation, at roughly £48bn, behind only HSBC. It recently made headlines as one of two final bidders for Sabadell's UK arm, TSB, facing off against Santander. Financially, Barclays has delivered impressive numbers. Revenue grew by 9.8% year on year, while earnings growth is high at 110%, helped by favourable trading conditions in its investment banking arm. Its operating margin stands at 31.5% and net margin at 20.4% — the highest among the major UK lenders. Valuation-wise, the Barclays share price looks appealing. It trades at a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of just 6 and a price-to-book (P/B) ratio of 0.8. That's the lowest valuation in the sector. However, its debt load of £176bn is sizeable, almost triple its equity base, and higher than both Lloyds and NatWest. While such gearing isn't uncommon for large banks, it does magnify risks in a downturn. The dividend yield is a modest 2.5%, though payouts have risen for four consecutive years, up 5% this year. Risks for Barclays include exposure to global investment banking cycles, regulatory pressures, and the potential costs tied to expanding into new areas like TSB. Meanwhile, Lloyds' numbers are more modest, though arguably more stable. Its operating margin is 23.8% and net margin 15%. Return on equity (ROE) is the weakest of the big five banks at 8.7%, but Lloyds carries less debt and has a stronger equity position than Barclays. The Lloyds share price isn't exactly expensive, trading on a P/E ratio of 8.8 and a P/B ratio just below break-even at 0.97. The winner here is its dividend yield, which is far more attractive at 4.2%. Plus, the payout's risen for four straight years, climbing nearly 15% year on year. That said, Lloyds does face potential headwinds, including the possibility of hefty fines linked to the ongoing vehicle finance mis-selling investigation. Plus, there's the usual consumer-related risks such as sensitivity to borrowing trends and a potential housing market slowdown. In my view, while the Barclays share price suggests deeper value, Lloyds' superior dividend yield and stronger capital base make it the more appealing long-term income play. Despite the looming finance probe, it looks to me the better option to consider as we navigate an uncertain economic landscape in 2025. The post With Barclays' share price falling behind, which UK bank stock looks better value today? appeared first on The Motley Fool UK. More reading 5 Stocks For Trying To Build Wealth After 50 One Top Growth Stock from the Motley Fool HSBC Holdings is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Mark Hartley has positions in HSBC Holdings and Lloyds Banking Group Plc. The Motley Fool UK has recommended Barclays Plc, HSBC Holdings, and Lloyds Banking Group Plc. Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. Motley Fool UK 2025 Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Washington Post
31 minutes ago
- Washington Post
Australia PM Albanese kicks off China visit focused on trade
BEIJING — Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese kicked off a visit to China this weekend meant to shore up trade relations between the two countries. Albanese met with Shanghai Party Secretary Chen Jining on Sunday, the first in a series of high-level exchanges that will include meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang and Chairman Zhao Leji of the National People's Congress.
Yahoo
an hour ago
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Singapore's first post-curb home launch sells 94%
By Low De Wei (Bloomberg) — Singapore's first mass-market private residential project launched since new curbs were introduced saw the development almost sold out as homes were sold at lower-than-usual prices. The LyndenWoods development sold 324 units Saturday, the first day it started to accept bookings, CapitaLand Development said in a statement the same evening. That's about 94 per cent of the 343 units to be built at a business park in the city's south. The launch came over a week after the introduction of surprise measures targeting speculators in the property market. Owners must now hold their homes for at least four years if they want to avoid paying a seller's tax, from three previously, while those who still choose to do so face higher levies than before. CapitaLand Development – part of CapitaLand Group that's owned by Singapore state investor Temasek Holdings Pte – said LyndenWoods homes were sold at an average price of S$2,450 ($1,914) per square foot to mainly professionals, couples and families who were attracted by its long-term investment potential. That's lower than median rates for similar units across Singapore and the district. Another project about a mile away has sold less than half of its 358 units after its launch earlier this year. The early performance may validate policymakers' concerns about a trend of flipping properties for a quick profit, which had driven a renewed jump in home prices and risked affecting affordability in one of the world's most expensive residential markets. Private home prices grew for a third straight quarter in the three months ended June, although the pace slowed to 0.5 per cent, preliminary data show. Not all projects have outperformed. High-end homes in the central business district have struggled since seperate curbs in 2023 raised levies on foreigner purchases, and the projects have been less popular among local buyers due to relatively higher pricing and a lack of amenities. One such luxury project boasting over 680 units, W Residences Marina View, was also slated to accept bookings on Saturday. IOI Properties Group Bhd., its Malaysian developer, has not publicly released data on its performance. More projects are lined up for sale in coming weeks, and may give further clues of how buyers are digesting the measures. The opening sales weekend for private projects usually sees the bulk of transactions, and is closely watched for an indication of market sentiment. More stories like this are available on ©2025 Bloomberg L.P.
