Standard Chartered beats 2025 RoTE target early with strong Q3 results

Standard Chartered PLC reported an underlying profit before tax of $2 billion for the third quarter of 2025, a 10% increase year-on-year. Operating income rose 5% to $5.1 bn, driven by double-digit growth in Wealth Solutions (up 27%) and Global Banking (up 23%). Net interest income saw a slight 1% decrease to $2.7 bn, while non-NII grew 12% to $2.4 bn. Operating expenses increased 4% to $3 bn, attributed to strategic investments, with the cost-to-income ratio improving by 50 basis points to 57.4%.

The Group's underlying Return on Tangible Equity (RoTE) reached 13.4% for Q3 2025, a 260 basis points improvement and exceeding the 2025 target a year early. Basic underlying earnings per share increased 31% to 52.3 cents. The CET1 ratio stood at a strong 14.2%, while total risk-weighted assets decreased by 1% from Q2 2025 to $258.4 bn.

Credit impairment charges for the quarter were $195m, up 10% from the prior year. The Group continues to project low single-digit percentage growth in underlying loans and advances to customers and RWA.