UK banks pass stress test

A view of Barclay s headquarters at London

LONDON: The Bank of England (BoE) said the UK’s biggest lenders emerged from its latest stress test with the strength to keep lending even during a “disorderly” Brexit.

Five of the seven banks passed the health check, while two – Barclays Plc and Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc – fell below their systemic reference point, a higher threshold that reflects their global significance. Yet actions taken by the banks since end-2016 mean neither needs to bolster their capital, the BoE said yesterday.