London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Aug 22, 2025

Standard Chartered CEO says the global economy is inching back to ‘normal’

Standard Chartered CEO says the global economy is inching back to ‘normal’

“The good news is the state of the world is returning to something a little bit closer to normal,” said Bill Winters, chief executive of British bank Standard Chartered.
He pointed out that the U.S. and China have returned to “proper dialogue,” while disruption from pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong looked to be subsiding. But Winters said he’s “very concerned” that tensions in the Middle East could escalate.

There have been signs that some risks in the global economy are receding, allowing businesses to once again plan for the long term, said Bill Winters, chief executive of British bank Standard Chartered.

Winters pointed out on Monday that the U.S. and China have returned to “proper dialogue” to iron out their trade conflict, while disruption from pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong looked to be subsiding with early signs of tourists returning to the city.

The CEO said business at Stanchart, a London-headquartered bank focused on emerging markets, has been affected by the lack of confidence among firms to invest for the long term. He predicted that it’ll take awhile for all of that to recover.

But, “the good news is the state of the world is returning to something a little bit closer to normal,” he told CNBC’s “Street Signs Asia.”

The U.S.-China trade war dominated investors’ attention for much of the past two years and caused companies to hold back capital expenditure at a time when the global economy was already slowing down. That resulted in the International Monetary Fund slashing its global growth forecast multiple times since the trade war started.

Hong Kong, where Stanchart derives a major portion of its profits, saw its economy struggle under the pressure of the U.S.-China trade fight and anti-government protests which primarily hit the retail and hospitality sectors.

While the outlook for the U.S.-China trade relations and Hong Kong economy are on the mend, Winters said he’s “very concerned” that tensions in the Middle East could escalate after Iran last week fired missiles at Iraqi bases housing U.S. troops.

“Anything that came from an increase in violence in that region would directly impact the economy, would impact the prospects of the commercial markets,” he said.

“We’re assured by the fact that the U.S. and Iran seem to be in a phase of deescalation after the dramatic events of last week, but we’re fully aware that the underlying issue hasn’t been resolved,” Winters added.

The bank has a presence in Dubai and is setting up a full branch in Saudi Arabia, noted Winters. Still, Stanchart wouldn’t pull out of the markets at the first sign of trouble, he said.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
After 200,000 Orders in 2 Minutes: Xiaomi Accelerates Marketing in Europe
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
New York Appeals Court Voids Nearly $500 Million Civil Fraud Penalty Against Trump While Upholding Fraud Liability
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
Child-free hotels spark controversy
North Korea is where this 95-year-old wants to die. South Korea won’t let him go. Is this our ally or a human rights enemy?
Hong Kong Launches Regulatory Regime and Trials for HKD-Backed Stablecoins
China rehearses September 3 Victory Day parade as imagery points to ‘loyal wingman’ FH-97 family presence
Trump Called Viktor Orbán: "Why Are You Using the Veto"
Horror in the Skies: Plane Engine Exploded, Passengers Sent Farewell Messages
MSNBC Rebrands as MS NOW Amid Comcast’s Cable Spin-Off
AI in Policing: Draft One Helps Speed Up Reports but Raises Legal and Ethical Concerns
Shame in Norway: Crown Princess’s Son Accused of Four Rapes
Apple Begins Simultaneous iPhone 17 Production in India and China
A Robot to Give Birth: The Chinese Announcement That Shakes the World
Finnish MP Dies by Suicide in Parliament Building
Outrage in the Tennis World After Jannik Sinner’s Withdrawal Storm
William and Kate Are Moving House – and the New Neighbors Were Evicted
Class Action Lawsuit Against Volkswagen: Steering Wheel Switches Cause Accidents
Taylor Swift on the Way to the Super Bowl? All the Clues Stirring Up Fans
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Apple Expands Social Media Presence in China With RedNote Account Ahead of iPhone 17 Launch
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Cambridge Dictionary Adds 'Skibidi,' 'Delulu,' and 'Tradwife' Amid Surge of Online Slang
Bill Barr Testifies No Evidence Implicated Trump in Epstein Case; DOJ Set to Release Records
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
The CEO Who Replaced 80% of Employees for the AI Revolution: "I Would Do It Again"
Emails Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Character.ai Bets on Future of AI Companionship
China Ramps Up Tax Crackdown on Overseas Investments
Japanese Office Furniture Maker Expands into Bomb Shelter Market
Intel Shares Surge on Possible U.S. Government Investment
Hurricane Erin Threatens U.S. East Coast with Dangerous Surf
EU Blocks Trade Statement Over Digital Rule Dispute
EU Sends Record Aid as Spain Battles Wildfires
JPMorgan Plans New Canary Wharf Tower
Zelenskyy and his allies say they will press Trump on security guarantees
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Escalating Clashes in Serbia as Anti-Government Protests Spread Nationwide
The Drought in Britain and the Strange Request from the Government to Delete Old Emails
Category 5 Hurricane in the Caribbean: 'Catastrophic Storm' with Winds of 255 km/h
"No, Thanks": The Mathematical Genius Who Turned Down 1.5 Billion Dollars from Zuckerberg
The surprising hero, the ugly incident, and the criticism despite victory: "Liverpool’s defense exposed in full"
Digital Humans Move Beyond Sci-Fi: From Virtual DJs to AI Customer Agents
YouTube will start using AI to guess your age. If it’s wrong, you’ll have to prove it
×