Standard Chartered launches £1.2bn share buyback and 65% dividend increase despite missing analyst profit expectations, as wealth division delivers record performance.

Standard Chartered rewarded shareholders with generous returns following its full-year results, even as the London-listed bank fell short of the profit target forecast by analysts.

The Asia-focused lender posted a two per cent rise in pre-tax profit to $814m, coming in below analyst expectations of $1.1bn.

The shortfall was driven by weaker-than-anticipated net interest income, which tumbled 12 per cent to $1.5bn in the final quarter, despite a one per cent increase on an annual basis.

For the full year, pre-tax profit surpassed $7bn for 2025, climbing from $6bn the previous year.

Annual operating expenses also edged up four per cent to $12.3bn, with the bank attributing the rise to targeted business growth investments, the strategic recruitment of relationship managers and higher performance-related pay, as reported by City AM.

Nevertheless, wealth management remained the bank’s strongest division, with income surging 24 per cent to $3.1bn. Growth was largely driven by a record $52bn in new net inflows as more than 275,000 new affluent clients were brought on board.

Notwithstanding the profit shortfall, Standard Chartered pressed ahead with plans to return capital to investors.

The bank, best known in the UK as Liverpool FC’s shirt sponsor, announced a $1.5bn share buyback and declared a final dividend of 49 cents per share, bringing the total dividend for 2025 to 61 cents – a 65 per cent jump on the prior year.

Earlier this month, the lender endured its steepest single-session share price decline since President Donald Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs. Shares in the FTSE 100 lender tumbled six per cent following confirmation that finance chief Diego De Giorgi was departing to take the helm at asset manager Apollo.

Standard Chartered’s annual report, published on Tuesday, disclosed that chief executive Bill Winters had seen his remuneration package rise to £12.7 million for 2025, bolstered by £10.5 million in bonuses and share awards.

De Giorgi had been widely regarded as the principal architect behind Standard Chartered’s ‘Fit for Growth’ programme.

The initiative, launched in 2024, set in motion a three-year overhaul designed to streamline, standardise and digitise the bank’s operations, whilst targeting cost reductions of nearly $1.5bn over the same period.

De Giorgi’s exit has prompted fresh scrutiny over the succession planning around Winters, currently the longest-serving chief executive of any major British bank, with many analysts having previously tipped the departing finance director as the frontrunner to eventually take the top job.

The membership-based app will officially launch next weekend at an investor event in Manchester

A Yorkshire property company is poised to launch a new mobile app amid moves to transform the way investors source, assess and purchase investment properties. Wetherby-based The Property Sourcing Company (TPSC) has developed the membership-based app to give users access to off-market, below market value properties across the country.

The app is designed to give an end-to-end property sourcing service, overcoming common frustrations of property investors in the UK. The platform will operate on a simple membership model, with various tiers designed to suit different levels of investors.

The standard option provides investors with full access to deals from across the UK, allowing them to track property value and rental income. Other levels include a diamond membership, where users can get early access to new opportunities, whilst diamond plus provides investors with an account manager from TPSC’s team of property experts and sourcing.

TPSC forms part of The Property Buying Company, which has a team of more than 40 property specialists involved in sourcing, renovating and selling. As a group the business has bought, sold and traded over 5,000 properties across the UK since the company was founded in 2012 by Jonny Christie and Karl McArdle.

Mr Christie, CEO of The Property Sourcing Company, said: “Our mission is to remove the friction from property investing, whether you’re a first-time investor or a seasoned professional. Demand for property investment remains strong, however investors face a barrier with the process of sourcing good deals becoming increasingly fragmented and time-consuming.

“This app is a UK market first; it streamlines the investment journey into one professional and structured platform which is accessible from the palm of your hand.

“We are excited to be bringing this unique platform to the industry to revolutionise property investment and provide a seamless eco-system to property investors.”

The membership-based app will officially launch on February 28 at an investor event held in partnership with Together in Manchester. Speakers at the event will include property experts and household names, including TV presenter Dion Dublin and social media property expert Oliver Adams.

Elliot Vure, sales director at Together, said: “We’ve seen first-hand how challenging it can be for investors to source strong opportunities in a changing market. TPSC’s new app brings professionalism, structure and data-driven insight into a space that needs it. Together is delighted to collaborate on this launch and support a solution that strengthens the investment journey for buyers at every level.”

Like this story? For more news from the commercial property scene around the regions, visit our dedicated section here for the latest news and analysis within the sector.

Escalating geopolitical tensions have had a bearing on the marine insurance market

Shipping insurer NorthStandard has revealedf a year of “intense challenges” amid a significant expected rise in its premium income. The Tyneside-based mutual, which is among the world’s largest of its type, says premium income could rise by more than 5% to $930m (£689.3m) in the year to February 20.

It comes as global geopolitical tension has escalating further in the last year, creating a higher risk environment for insurers. Sanctions, tariffs and attacks on vessels have presented challenges.

NorthStandard, which employs about 300 people on Tyneside, has maintained the size of its poolable tonnage – the volume of ships it insurers – at 270million gross tonnes. It said the flat number came after a renewal that focussed on rebalancing its global risk portfolio.

Meanwhile, free reserves are projected to pass $900m (£667m), up from $800m (£593m) in February last year and well above the S&P Global requirements to keep its AAA capital status.

Paul Jennings, managing director of NorthStandard, said: “We are grateful for our members’ continued support and loyalty. Strong Member retention and commitment during renewal reflects the value and importance they place on the high levels of expert service NorthStandard teams deliver daily around the world.”

Bosses said that diversification efforts had helped boost results, pointing to the group’s Coastal & Inland-Sunderland Marine joint product for hull and protection and indemnity which is said to have been popular. NorthStandard has traditionally provided insurance for the operators of large, ocean going vessels involved in global trade, but more recently it has also eyed opportunities in the renewables sector – including via a partnership with NIORD/Norwegian Hull Club.

And in autumn last year, North Standard began recruitment of a new Upstream Energy and Marine & Energy Liabilities team. Jeremy Grose, managing director of NorthStandard, said further diversification will also drive premium growth next year, as ‘churn’ from newbuilds replacing older vessels could stymie premium growth.

He added: “Diversification, leaner operations, sound investments and consolidation have created the critical mass to open new offices and overhaul our digital services. We have also expanded our risk management tools, introduced a range of AI-led initiatives across our business, and broadened the scope of our loss prevention products for the direct benefit of our members.”

Elsewhere, NorthStandard said it had been focussed on driving maritime decarbonisation through its team of in-house experts offering guidance on alternative fuel options. That has included some of its members signing up to the BetterSea digital fuel pooling marketplace and supporting others with access to fuel performance analytics tools. The organisation is also a founding member of the Martime Nuclear consortium that launched only last month and focuses on the development of safe and efficient nuclear-powered vessels.

Looking ahead, Mr Jennings added: “Our focus is to support Members with the stability, strength, and innovation NorthStandard is known for. This year’s results prove our strategy is working and we intend to keep leading our industry forward.”

Netflix’s hit reality dating series “Love Is Blind” returned for its milestone 10th season on February 11, 2026, marking the first time the show has ventured beyond a single city to feature singles from across an entire state: Ohio. Dubbed informally by fans as “Love Is Blind: Ohio,” the season follows 32 contestants — ranging in age from 28 to 38 — as they seek love sight unseen in the pods, with Columbus serving as the primary filming hub and backdrop.

The premiere dropped just before Valentine’s Day, drawing massive viewership as Ohio daters from Cincinnati to Cleveland to Columbus entered the experiment. Hosted by Nick and Vanessa Lachey — with Nick sharing a personal tie as a Cincinnati native — the season promises the signature mix of emotional connections, shocking reveals, love triangles and wedding-day decisions.

Netflix released the cast in late January 2026, spotlighting a diverse group including professors, retired athletes, former professional dancers and everyday professionals. The pod squad features a notable number of Pisces men, sparking fan speculation about romantic sensitivities. Full cast lists and Instagram handles are available on Netflix’s Tudum site, allowing viewers to follow along as relationships develop.

The show’s format remains unchanged: singles date through opaque walls in luxurious pods, building emotional bonds without physical sight. Successful connections lead to proposals, face-to-face reveals, a couples retreat and, ultimately, weddings — or breakups. This season emphasizes cutting through “the static of modern dating,” with Ohio’s Midwestern charm adding a fresh regional flavor.

Filming took place largely in Columbus, including at the Jaeger Square apartment complex in the historic German Village and Schumacher Place areas. The development, owned by The Pizzuti Companies, served as the cast’s home base during production. Local landmarks, dining spots and attractions appear throughout, boosting Ohio’s visibility. Experience Columbus confirmed the city as the “main location,” with watch parties at venues like Budd Dairy Food Hall and The Brass Eye drawing crowds eager to spot familiar places and people.

Episode releases follow Netflix’s weekly drop pattern, airing Wednesdays at 3 a.m. ET (12 a.m. PT). The schedule includes:

– Episodes 1-6: February 11, 2026 (premiere batch, focusing on pod dates and proposals)
– Episodes 7-9: February 18, 2026
– Episodes 10-11: February 25, 2026
– Episode 12 (likely the reunion or finale): March 4, 2026

Early episodes introduced the contestants and pod conversations, with initial connections forming quickly. By the February 18 drop, several couples had advanced to the real-world phase, navigating reveals and early relationship hurdles. Viewers have buzzed over dramatic moments, including potential love triangles and heartfelt confessions, though major spoilers remain under wraps to preserve the experiment’s integrity.

Ohio’s statewide approach differs from prior seasons’ city-specific focus (e.g., Minneapolis for Season 8, Colorado for Season 9). Production scouted across the state, drawing participants from major metros and beyond. Columbus residents celebrated the spotlight, with local media highlighting hidden gems and community pride. Watch parties and social media reactions amplified excitement, as fans spotted familiar venues and cheered on hometown singles.

The season builds on “Love Is Blind’s” enduring popularity, which has produced multiple marriages and sparked global conversations about love, compatibility and modern dating. Past seasons generated viral moments, from dramatic exits to lasting unions, keeping audiences hooked. Season 10’s milestone status — the 10th installment — adds extra anticipation, with Netflix promoting it heavily through trailers and cast spotlights.

As episodes continue rolling out, attention turns to which Ohio couples will walk down the aisle. Early feedback praises the fresh setting and relatable contestants, though some viewers note the challenges of long-distance dynamics for statewide pairings. The Lacheys’ hosting brings continuity, with Vanessa and Nick guiding the emotional journey.

For fans tracking the drama, Netflix Tudum offers recaps, deleted scenes and cast updates. Social media buzzes with theories, memes and live reactions, especially in Ohio where locals feel a personal stake.

With new episodes arriving weekly, “Love Is Blind” Season 10 continues to captivate, proving the experiment’s premise — that love can indeed be blind — holds strong in the heartland.

Home Depot on Tuesday posted a roughly 4% quarterly sales decline, as a sluggish real estate market and selective spending by homeowners continued to weigh on home improvement demand.

The company also stuck by the current fiscal year forecast that it shared in December at an investor day. It said it expects full-year total sales growth to range between about 2.5% and 4.5% and adjusted earnings per share to be between roughly flat and up 4% from $14.69 in the prior fiscal year. It expects full-year comparable sales growth, which takes out one-time factors like store openings and closures, to range from flat to up 2%.

Despite the fourth-quarter sales decline, Home Depot topped Wall Street’s revenue and earnings expectations for that period.

In an interview with CNBC, Chief Financial Officer Richard McPhail said U.S. consumers and the company have “been in a frozen housing environment for three years” – and there hasn’t been a meaningful thaw. 

“What we’ve seen as an added pressure during the last year has been this increase in consumer uncertainty, a gradual decline in consumer confidence,” he said. “And so those are signs we’re watching.”

He said customers have told the company that they are concerned about housing affordability and job losses, dynamics that colored Home Depot’s outlook for the year.

Here’s what Home Depot reported for the fiscal fourth quarter of 2025 compared with Wall Street’s estimates, according to a survey of analysts by LSEG:

• Earnings per share: $2.72 adjusted vs. $2.54 expected
• Revenue: $38.20 billion vs.  $38.12 billion expected

Shares rose about 2% in premarket trading on Tuesday, as Home Depot beat earnings expectations after missing estimates three quarters in a row. 

Higher interest rates, lower housing turnover and economic uncertainty have challenged the company, as homeowners delay the pricier projects typically spurred by buying or selling a home. 

As the Atlanta-based retailer waits for business to pick up, it laid off 800 employees and announced a five-day a week return-to-office policy in late January.

Yet some investors anticipate an inflection point could be coming for Home Depot, as mortgage rates moderate slightly. The average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage fell to 5.99% on Monday, matching its lowest level since 2022, according to Mortgage News Daily. 

Home Depot’s biggest selling season, springtime, is also ahead.

McPhail said Home Depot’s business was relatively stable throughout the year, including in the fourth quarter, when adjusting for storms. He said the company is gaining market share, even as the sector lags.

In the three-month period that ended Feb. 1, Home Depot’s net income fell to $2.57 billion, or $2.58 per share, from $3.0 billion, or $3.02 per share, in the year-ago period. 

Revenue dropped from $39.70 billion in the year-ago period. The company said some decline was due to the most recent fiscal year 2025 having one fewer week. The additional week in the 2024 fiscal year contributed $2.5 billion in sales. 

Comparable sales, an industry metric also called same-store sales, increased 0.4% in the fiscal fourth quarter across the business and 0.3% in the U.S.

Store transactions in the quarter across Home Depot’s website and stores dropped by 1.6% year over year, but average ticket rose 2.4% year over year. Big-ticket purchases, which the company defines as those over $1,000, were 1.3% higher than the year-ago period.

Some of those larger orders may reflect higher prices. McPhail said Home Depot has had “modest” price increases, though he declined to say which items and categories now cost customers more.

Higher tariffs have been one of the forces driving price hikes at retailers, including Home Depot. Companies now face a new landscape for import duties after the Supreme Court on Friday ruled that some of the Trump administration’s tariffs were illegal. Soon after the ruling, President Donald Trump said at a press conference that he would pursue alternative tariffs and proposed an across the board global tariff that he has since set at 15%.

He said Home Depot is “still in the middle of our analysis” after the Supreme Court ruling and latest proposed tariffs.

“Not all the information is out right now. Not all the language is final around what was announced,” he said. He added that Home Depot is “as well positioned as anyone to understand any impacts and manage through them.” 

More than half of what Home Depot sells comes from the U.S., according to the company. It’s diversifying its imports, so that no single country outside of the U.S. represents more than 10% of the company’s purchases, McPhail said.

Though do-it-yourself buyers have cut back, the company still has a more stable business segment.

A growing business from home professionals, such as contractors and roofers, has boosted Home Depot’s overall business. It acquired SRS Distribution, a company that sells supplies to roofing, landscaping and pool professionals, for $18.25 billion last year in 2024 and bought GMS, a specialty building products distributor, for about $4.3 billion last year. 

Pro sales were stronger than do-it-yourself sales during the fourth quarter, McPhail said, though he declined to share specific figures. 

Home Depot opened 12 stores in fiscal 2025 and plans to open 15 additional stores this fiscal year.

The company also announced on Tuesday that its board of directors increased its quarterly dividend by 1.3%, or 3 cents, to $2.33 per share. It will be payable next month.

As of Monday’s close, Home Depot shares are down about 2% over the past year, but up about 10% year to date. That compares to the S&P 500’s nearly 14% gains over the past year and its roughly flat performance year to date.

Student accommodation developer reports 9% increase in adjusted earnings to £232.3m for 2025, while strategic shift targets top-tier institutions

Unite Students experienced a dip in occupancy levels throughout its portfolio, though this was balanced by strong demand at leading elite universities.

The student accommodation provider posted a 9 per cent rise in adjusted earnings to £232.3m for 2025. Nevertheless, its statutory profit dropped by 78 per cent owing to a reduction in the valuation of the property portfolio.

The company’s portfolio occupancy declined to 95.2 per cent for the 2025/26 academic year, down from 97.5 per cent, with empty rooms primarily in Leicester, Nottingham, and Sheffield due to elevated supply and softer demand.

Nevertheless, the Bristol-headquartered FTSE 250 firm witnessed demand staying strong at top-tier universities, where applications increased by 6 per cent. Consequently, Unite stated it intends to boost its portfolio alignment to these institutions from 67 per cent to 80 per cent.

Unite completed the £530m takeover of Empiric Student Property in January 2026, bringing in 7,700 beds; though the portfolio is presently underperforming with 89 per cent occupancy, significantly beneath Unite’s core portfolio, as reported by City AM.

“We are working closely with the Empiric team to drive performance across the portfolio,” it added.

The company also observed that supply in private houses in the multiple-occupation sector has decreased by 9 per cent over four years due to climbing mortgage costs and new regulations, such as the Renters’ Rights Act, pushing more students towards purpose-built student accommodation. Despite the difficult trading environment, the company recommended a final dividend of 24.9p, taking the full-year payout to 37.7p, representing a 1 per cent rise on 2024.

The figures come on the heels of Unite’s £100m share buyback programme, launched in January to redistribute excess capital to investors.

Chief executive Joe Lister said the group “delivered a robust performance in 2025, with strong trading across the majority of our portfolio offset by weaker demand in a small number of cities for the 2025/26 academic year.”

Alongside its financial results and disposal announcement, Unite confirmed the appointment of Duncan Cooper as non-executive director and chair (designate) of the audit and risk committee.

Cooper currently serves as chief financial officer at Travis Perkins, having previously held the position of group finance director at Crest Nicholson, as well as senior finance roles at Sainsbury’s.

President Donald Trump will formally call on tech companies to pay more for electricity for new data centers, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday.

Trump is expected to make the call during his State of the Union address on Tuesday night, announcing new “rate payer protection pledges” the administration has negotiated with top tech companies. The pledges require tech companies to pay increased electricity costs in communities where new AI data centers are being built, officials told the Journal.

Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress is expected to put the economy front and center, pairing working-family guests with a data-driven case on affordability in addition to various economic policy announcements.

Trump is slated to begin his speech at 9 p.m. Eastern Standard Time Tuesday evening from the U.S. Capitol. The Journal reported that Trump made edits to the speech over the weekend.

TRUMP HITS THE ROAD TO SELL ECONOMIC WINS, AS REPUBLICANS BRACE FOR HIGH-STAKES MIDTERM SHOWDOWN

President Donald Trump will address the nation before a joint session of Congress on Tuesday. (Reuters/Carlos Barria / Reuters)

“President Trump’s State of the Union Address will celebrate 250 glorious years of our nation’s independence and excellence, highlighting incredible stories of American heroes throughout the speech,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News Digital ahead of the speech.

Touting Trump Accounts, tax cuts in the “big, beautiful bill,” lowering drug prices and working to ease the ability of American families to purchase a home are among Trump’s top orders of business, Fox News Digital learned. The president also is expected to make undisclosed economic policy announcements during the speech. 

The economy is a top concern for voters as they prepare to vote for a new Congress in November, which follows Democrats’ 2025 winning campaign strategy around “affordability.”

TRUMP APPROVAL CLIMBS AS REPUBLICANS RALLY BEHIND PRESIDENT’S AFFORDABILITY AGENDA: POLL

Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent has been a key figure in Trump’s economic policy. (Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images / Getty Images)

A White House official told Fox News Digital that Trump invited guests tied to the various economic initiatives in his speech, including Catherine Rayner of Norfolk, Virginia. Rayner and her husband have been navigating fertility complications and in vitro fertilization for five years, with Rayner becoming the first patient of the portal earlier in February when it rolled out. 

The couple’s spending on fertility medications dropped from roughly $4,000 to $500 under the program, Fox News Digital learned.

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The president is also expected to invoke his well-known populist tone in the speech, including to speak out against “special interest groups” that have been entrenched in power despite “ripping off” and leaving working Americans behind, a White House official told Fox News Digital. 

Fox News’ Emma Colton contributed to this report.