LONDON -- Standard Chartered
Importantly, the New York Department of Financial Services -- an organization not even a year old -- and its superintendent, Benjamin Lawsky, are flexing their regulatory muscle and threatening to strip Standard Chartered of its U.S. banking license.
While not particularly damaging on the surface -- almost 90% of Standard Chartered's profits come from Asia and Africa -- the loss of a U.S. banking license would have implications for the bank's global operations. Without a U.S. banking license, the ability to process U.S. dollar-denominated trade financing becomes significantly more difficult and could result in a material loss of business.
However, Standard Chartered isn't taking the allegations of hiding 60,000 transactions with Iranian clients lightly. The bank has issued a statement saying it "strongly rejects the position and portrayal of facts made by the New York Department of Financial Services" and feels that the charges as presented do not offer "a full and accurate picture of the facts."
The bank claims to have been working with U.S. authorities for more than two years as part of an internal review of its compliance with U.S. sanctions on Iran and other countries.
Regardless of whose story is accurate, these allegations taint yet another U.K. bank and surround Standard Chartered with uncertainty that quickly erased last week's solid results and sent shares plummeting 24% during today's trading.
With all this uncertainty, the financial industry remains one for only the bravest investors. However, you can find some of The Motley Fool's favourite opportunities in other sectors in this free "Top Sectors for 2012" report. You can download the free report (while it is still available) by clicking here.
Are you looking to profit from this uncertain economy? "10 Steps To Making A Million In The Market" is the very latest Motley Fool guide to help Britain invest. Better. We urge you to read the report today -- it's free.
Further Motley Fool investment opportunities:
