Standard Chartered Q1 Profit Up 17%, Sets Aside $190M for 'Iran War'

UK bank Standard Chartered reported a 17% increase in pre-tax profit to $2.45 billion in Q1. The bank set aside $190 million in provisions related to the 'Iran war' due to Middle East instability.

Thu Apr 30 2026

Standard Chartered Reports Strong Q1 Performance

Standard Chartered, a major UK bank, announced on April 30 that its first-quarter pre-tax profit rose 17% year-on-year to $2.45 billion. This figure surpassed the average analyst estimate of $2.14 billion from 15 analysts. The strong performance was attributed to robust global banking and trading divisions, along with steady inflows into its wealth management business.

'Iran War' Provisions and Increased Credit Costs

In anticipation of potential losses stemming from instability in the Middle East, Standard Chartered allocated $190 million in provisions related to the 'Iran war'. This led to an increase in the bank's first-quarter credit costs, totaling $290 million. According to corporate data and banking industry analysts, Standard Chartered is considered one of the major banks with the highest exposure to the 'Iran war', alongside HSBC.

*Source: ニューズウィーク日本版 (2026-04-30)*

Tags: #Standard Chartered #Banking #Earnings #Iran #Middle East