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BANK

British bank Lloyds sells Spanish retail activities

Britain's state-rescued Lloyds bank said on Monday that it has sold its loss-making Spanish retail banking activities to Spain's Banco Sabadell in a deal worth up to €100 million ($131 million).

LBG said in a statement that it would receive a 1.8-percent stake in Sabadell, worth about €84 million, plus an additional sum of up to €20 million over the next five years.

"Lloyds Banking Group plc is today announcing that it has agreed to sell its Spanish retail banking operations, including Lloyds Bank International S.A.U and Lloyds Investment España SGIIC S.A.U, to Banco Sabadell," the statement read.

"The sale comprises the group's retail and private banking business and the local investment management business in Spain."

Lloyds added that the sale of the business was expected to lead to a loss of approximately £250 million.

The business consists mostly of retail mortgages and deposits, with a large portion of non-resident clients.

However, LBG's Spanish corporate banking operations, which serve business clients, are not included in this transaction. They will carry on operating as normal.

Lloyds is 39-percent owned by the British government after a state bailout after the 2008 global financial crisis.

"The sale is in line with the group's strategy of rationalising its international presence and ensuring best value for shareholders," it added on Monday.

The deal remains subject to regulatory approval and is expected to complete this year.

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BANK

Deutsche Bank to pay $130m to settle US bribery probes

Deutsche Bank will pay $130 million to settle a foreign bribery probe and fraud charges in precious metals trading, US officials announced on Friday.

Deutsche Bank to pay $130m to settle US bribery probes
A woman walks past the offices of Deutsche Bank in London. Photo: Tolga Akmen / AFP
The bribery case relates to illegal payments and to false reporting of those sums on the bank's books and records between 2009 and 2016, the Department of Justice said in a press release.
   
The bank “knowingly and wilfully” kept false records after employees conspired with a Saudi consultant to facilitate bribe payments of over $1 million to a decision maker, the DOJ said.
   
In another case, the bank paid more than $3 million “without invoices” to an Abu Dhabi consultant “who lacked qualifications… other than his family relationship with the client decision maker,” the DOJ said.
   
In addition to criminal fines and payments of ill-gotten gains, Deutsche Bank agreed to cooperate with government investigators under a three-year deferred prosecution agreement.
 
   
In the commodities fraud case, Deutsche Bank metals traders in New York, Singapore and London between 2008 and 2013 placed fake trade orders to profit by deceiving other market participants, the DOJ said.
   
The agreement took into account Deutsche Bank's cooperation with the probes, DOJ said.
   
“Deutsche Bank engaged in a criminal scheme to conceal payments to so-called consultants worldwide who served as conduits for bribes to foreign officials and others so that they could unfairly obtain and retain lucrative business projects,” said Acting US Attorney Seth D. DuCharme of the Eastern District of New York.
   
“This office will continue to hold responsible financial institutions that operate in the United States and engage in practices to facilitate criminal activity in order to increase their bottom line.”
   
“We take responsibility for these past actions, which took place between 2008 and 2017,” said Deutsche Bank spokesperson Dan Hunter, adding that the company has taken “significant remedial actions” including hiring staff and upgrading technology to address the shortcomings.
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