Major Bank Ratings | Morgan Stanley: Standard Chartered Group’s 2026 Start is Encouraging, Rated “Overweight”

格隆汇 March 19｜Morgan Stanley released a research report stating that Standard Chartered Group had an encouraging start to 2026, with business trends in the first quarter continuing last year's strong momentum. The wealth management business has performed robustly so far this year, and the momentum of net new fund inflows remains intact. Looking ahead to 2026 and beyond, even in a highly volatile environment, management feels confident maintaining credit costs for the entire cycle at 30 to 35 basis points. In corporate, financial institutions, and commercial banking, Standard Chartered's strategy remains focused on distribution-led business and large international enterprises. In corporate and investment banking, the focus continues to shift towards affluent clients and wealth management, while reducing exposure to unsecured consumer loans. All of this supports confidence in the long-term quality of credit.