Diversified Banks

U.S. Bancorp has raised its quarterly common-stock dividend by 3.8% to $0.54 per share from $0.52, extending a streak that now stands at 15 consecutive years of dividend increases. At the new rate shareholders will receive $2.16 per share annually, with the next payment scheduled for October 15, 2026, and at a recent share price of about $62.84 that annualized payout translates into a forward dividend yield of roughly 3.4%. The increase follows prior steps from $0.49 to $0.50 in 2024 and from $0.50 to $0.52 in 2025, putting dividend growth over the past two years at about 10%. The payout looks manageable against earnings: the company reported 2025 diluted EPS of $4.62 while dividends declared per common share totaled $2.04 for the year, a payout of roughly 44%, and current forward-looking data puts the payout ratio at roughly 37% to 43% depending on the earnings measure used. Capital strength supports the distribution, with a 10.8% CET1 ratio as of March 31, 2026 against an applicable minimum requirement including its stress capital buffer of 7.1%, and the bank retained $4.1 billion of capacity under its existing $5 billion share-repurchase authorization at the end of the first quarter.

HSBC announced an enhanced Premier offering in the United States, expanding its focus on affluent customers, a segment representing approximately 40% of global wealth. The proposition spans four areas — wealth, health, travel and international — and is available now in the US. On the wealth side, new digital capabilities in HSBC's US mobile app let customers open a new HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. Self-Directed brokerage account, view portfolio holdings and trade mutual funds in real-time. The health component adds complimentary membership to a third-party health and wellness service with 24/7 telemedicine, while the travel component offers global 24/7 support, no foreign transaction fees and card rewards through merchant partnerships. The international component provides competitive foreign exchange rates, no HSBC fees on international transfers and pre-arrival account opening for customers moving to the US. Racquel Oden, Head of International Wealth and Premier Banking and Private Banking in the US, said customers are living more connected lives than ever and want their wealth to support the lives they are building. The launch is supported by HSBC's network of 21 Wealth Centers across the US; the bank relaunched its Park Avenue Wealth Center in New York earlier this year and will relaunch its Cupertino, California center this month.

Fifth Third Bancorp declared a quarterly cash dividend of 42 cents per share for the third quarter of 2026, a 5% increase from the prior payout, payable Oct. 15, 2026, to shareholders of record as of Sept. 30, 2026. The increase marks FITB's 11th consecutive annual increase in its common dividend, following an 8.1% raise to 40 cents per share in September 2025, and the dividend has grown at an annualized rate of 6.9%. The company's payout ratio is nearly 41%, and based on yesterday's closing price of $53.27 its dividend yield stands at around 3%, above the industry average of 2.8%, supported by a common equity Tier 1 ratio of 9.93% as of June 30, 2026. Share repurchases remain on hold as FITB integrates Comerica, which it acquired in February 2026; of the $100 million repurchase plan authorized in June 2025, approximately $93.1 million remained available as of June 30, 2026. COO Jamie C. Leonard said at the Barclays 24th Annual Global Financial Services Conference that FITB expects to return to a more normalized repurchase program in the fourth quarter, with the Comerica technology and brand conversion complete and the bank on track to achieve an $850 million annualized expense-synergy run-rate by the fourth quarter.

Canada has hired Morgan Stanley and Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce to advise on the sale of operating rights to the country's four largest airports, Bloomberg News reported. Prime Minister Mark Carney formally announced plans to seek private investment in the government-owned assets during a speech at an investment conference on Tuesday. The four busiest airports by passenger volume are Toronto Pearson International Airport and the hubs in Montreal, Vancouver, and Calgary.

Standard Chartered Bank announced its success as Joint Sustainability Structuring Bank, Joint Bookrunner and Joint Lead Arranger for the issuance and offering of a 15-year 8-month sustainability-linked bond, or SLB, worth 25 billion baht under its updated sustainable financing framework. The offering drew strong demand from investors, with total orders exceeding 36.3 billion baht, or 1.45 times the offering size. The SLB425A bond is issued in baht in the domestic market and is linked to two sustainability indicators: reducing Thailand's net greenhouse gas emissions to 152 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2035, or a 47 percent reduction from 2019 levels, and increasing protected land and inland freshwater areas, including biodiversity conservation areas outside protected zones, to cover no less than 30 percent of Thailand's total land area by 2030. This marks the first time a public-sector debt issuer in Asia has included a biodiversity target in its financing framework. The transaction ranks as the second-largest public-sector SLB in Asia, after Thailand's first public-sector SLB, and the fourth-largest in the world. Jindarat Viriyataveekul, Director-General of the Public Debt Management Office, said the bond will bring measurable sustainability goals into public debt management and serve as a new reference rate for Thai government bonds. Charles Corbett, Head of Sovereign and Public Sector Clients at Standard Chartered Bank, said the issuance helps strengthen the integration of sustainability dimensions into the country's core financing strategy. Rahul Sheth, Managing Director of Debt Markets and Head of Sustainable Bonds at Standard Chartered Bank, said the transaction aligns with Thailand's latest NDC 3.0 targets and supports the path toward net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The issuance builds on Thailand's first SLB, which was the first public-sector SLB in Asia and the third in the world. That pioneering transaction, supported by Standard Chartered, raised more than 230 billion baht in local currency through multiple additional auctions.

Krungthai Bank Public Company Limited, or KTB, has launched Krungthai TAX Solutions on the Krungthai BUSINESS platform, becoming the first Thai bank to bring a complete range of electronic tax services together in one place. The suite covers four main services: Krungthai e-Tax Invoice & e-Receipt, Krungthai e-Withholding Tax Plus, and two new offerings, Krungthai e-Stamp Duty for preparing and filing electronic stamp duty, and Krungthai e-Filing for preparing data, submitting VAT forms Phor.Por. 30 and Phor.Por. 36 and withholding tax form Phor.Ngor.Dor. 54, making payments, and tracking the status of electronic filings. All services connect seamlessly with ERP or enterprise systems, serving businesses of every size from SMEs to large organisations, as well as government agencies and state enterprises. Krungthai Bank is a certified electronic data preparation and submission service provider under the Revenue Department and the Electronic Transactions Development Agency, or ETDA.

Phillip Securities stated that KTB will serve as the clearing house for the common rail ticket project, after the Ministry of Transport confirmed that from January 1, 2027 onward, rail commuters will use a common ticket fare system across all rail lines, all colors, and all routes at prices of 17 to 45 baht. The government will bear the cost of compensating passengers for the fare difference on journeys that actually exceed 45 baht, without directly reimbursing operators, and KTB will prepare the back-end system to manage the money and clear refunds of the difference to the public. This is seen as positive sentiment for KTB, but the main revenue expected is the fee for serving as clearing house, which is unlikely to be significantly high relative to previous forecasts. An additional benefit is low-cost liquidity from funds passing through the bank and user data from rail passengers that can be used to cross-sell other financial products. The brokerage maintains its 2026 profit forecast at 48.9 billion baht, up 1.4% year-on-year, and keeps its base price target at 46 baht. It expects a dividend of 2.10 baht per share for 2026, representing a dividend yield of 4.7%, and 2.21 baht per share for 2027, representing a dividend yield of 4.9%. Recommendation: accumulate.

Kasikornbank, or KBANK, has issued subordinated bonds qualifying as Tier 2 capital worth 800 million US dollars through its Hong Kong branch, with a 10-year maturity and an interest rate of 6.278% per year. The bank has the right to redeem the bonds early after five years. This bond series has been assigned a credit rating of Ba1 by Moody's and is listed on the Singapore Exchange, with BNP Paribas, Citigroup, J.P. Morgan and Standard Chartered Bank acting as joint bookrunners. Mr. Chongrak Rattanapian, President of Kasikornbank, said the issuance is part of the bank's long-term capital management plan. The offering drew strong demand from foreign institutional investors, with subscriptions peaking at approximately 2.6 billion US dollars from both leading institutional investors and new institutional investors such as sovereign wealth funds. By region, more than 60 percent was allocated to investors in Asia, with the remainder allocated to investors from other regions such as Europe. The issuance comes ahead of the redemption of the existing Tier 2 subordinated bonds in October 2026.

Kasikornbank has issued subordinated bonds qualifying as Tier 2 capital worth 800 million US dollars through its Hong Kong branch to support capital structure management in line with its business plan. Mr. Chongrak Rattanapian, President of Kasikornbank, disclosed that the bonds have a 10-year term with an interest rate of 6.278% per annum, and the bank has the right to redeem them early at the end of 5 years. This bond series received a credit rating of Ba1 from Moody's and is listed on the Singapore Exchange, with BNP Paribas, Citigroup, J.P. Morgan and Standard Chartered Bank acting as joint distribution managers. The offering drew interest from foreign institutional investors, with subscriptions peaking at approximately 2.6 billion US dollars. Broken down by region, more than 60 percent was allocated to investors in Asia, while the remainder was allocated to investors from other regions such as Europe. This bond issuance comes ahead of the redemption of the existing subordinated bonds qualifying as Tier 2 capital in October 2026.

Kasikornbank, or KBANK, informed the Stock Exchange of Thailand that on September 17, 2026, the bank issued subordinated instruments qualifying as Tier 2 capital worth 800 million US dollars, offered in full to institutional investors overseas through its Hong Kong branch. The instruments have a 10-year tenor, a fixed interest rate of 6.278 percent per year, with interest paid every 6 months, and received a credit rating of Ba1 from Moody's Investors Service. They will be listed on the Singapore Exchange, with BNP Paribas, Citigroup, J.P. Morgan and Standard Chartered Bank acting as joint distribution managers. Mr. Chongrak Rattanapian, President of Kasikornbank, disclosed that this bond issuance is part of the bank's long-term capital management plan, and the bank has the right to redeem early upon completion of 5 years. The offering drew strong interest from foreign institutional investors, with total subscriptions reaching a peak of approximately 2.6 billion US dollars, from both leading institutional investors and new institutional investors such as sovereign wealth funds, which helped broaden the bank's foreign investor base. Broken down by region, more than 60 percent was allocated to investors in Asia, with the remainder allocated to investors from other regions such as Europe. The transaction aims to support the management of the bank's capital structure in line with its business plan, ahead of the redemption of the existing subordinated bonds counted as Tier 2 capital in October 2026.

Kasikornbank, or KBANK, disclosed that on September 17, 2026, the bank issued subordinated notes qualifying as the bank's Tier 2 capital, worth 800 million US dollars, with a 10-year maturity and a fixed interest rate of 6.278% per year, with interest payable every 6 months. The notes were offered entirely to overseas investors. The notes received a credit rating of Ba1 from Moody's Investors Service.

Kasikornbank, or KBANK, informed the Stock Exchange of Thailand that on 17 September 2017, Kasikornbank's Hong Kong branch issued subordinated notes qualifying as the bank's Tier 2 capital, worth 800 million US dollars, under the bank's U.S.$4,000,000,000 Euro Medium Term Note Programme. The notes are specifically named U.S.$800,000,000 6.278 per cent Tier 2 Subordinated Notes due 2036. They are subordinated and unsecured, with no noteholders' representative, have a maturity of 10 years, carry a fixed interest rate of 6.278 per cent per annum, pay interest every 6 months, and can absorb the bank's losses under specified conditions. Moody's Investors Service rated the notes at Ba1, and the bank offered the entire issue to institutional investors overseas, with permission from the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, under the Capital Market Supervisory Board's notification on the criteria, conditions, and procedures for applying for and granting permission to offer newly issued debentures to investors overseas.

Kasikornbank, or KBANK, raised $800 million through the issuance and offering of subordinated notes qualifying as Tier 2 capital via its Hong Kong branch on September 17, 2026. The notes are designated U.S.$800,000,000 6.278 per cent. Tier 2 Subordinated Notes due 2036, issued under a U.S.$4,000,000,000 Euro Medium Term Note Programme. The notes are subordinated, unsecured and have no noteholders' representative. They qualify as Tier 2 capital under the criteria of the Bank of Thailand and include provisions allowing them to absorb losses of KBANK under specified conditions. The notes have a tenor of 10 years, maturing on September 17, 2036, carry a fixed interest rate of 6.278 per cent per annum, with interest paid every six months. The offering is aimed entirely at institutional investors overseas and is not offered in the United States or in Thailand. The notes are rated Ba1 by Moody's Investors Service. KBANK has received approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any purchase, sale or transfer of the notes must be conducted overseas only.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. said it plans to place more than $750 billion through 2035 to increase U.S. housing supply and support homeownership, a commitment nearly 40% more than the bank's housing-related capital deployment over the prior decade. The plan includes financing for 1 million affordable housing units and help for 500,000 homebuyers, of which 200,000 are first-time buyers, partly through a more than 40% increase in mortgage lending and 850 new home-lending advisers. The bank reported a record second-quarter net income of $21.2 billion, giving it a strong earnings base for the deployment, which will run through multiple financing tools including debt, equity and grants. JPMorgan has linked additional housing deployment to supportive zoning, permitting and tax-credit policies, and it already ranks as the nation's largest multifamily lender. U.S. home sales recently fell to a 14-month low because mortgage rates rose, leaving the bank facing a tough housing market as it tries to turn the program into bigger profits.

Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group will introduce its first-ever shareholder benefits program, with a record date of the end of September 2026. The benefits come as a three-part package: V Points, a 1.0 percent premium on three-month time deposit rates, and invitations to sponsored events. To receive them, shareholders must open an Olive account at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation and complete an entry procedure. V Points worth 5,000 yen will be given to shareholders holding 100 shares or more for at least one year, while those holding 1,000 shares or more for at least five years will receive points worth 30,000 yen. Those with rights confirmed as of September 2026 will complete procedures using documents mailed around mid-December and receive their benefits from March 2027 onward. The share price is 6,878 yen, with a one-year change of 69.8 percent. Holding 100 shares gives a shareholder benefit yield of 0.73 percent, while the forecast dividend for the fiscal year ending March 2027 totals 180 yen, for a dividend yield of 2.62 percent, bringing the combined total yield to 3.35 percent. On the earnings front, ordinary profit grew 3.2-fold over the five years through the fiscal year ended March 2026, and for the fiscal year ending March 2027 the company plans a 7.4 percent increase in net profit, marking a sixth consecutive year of final profit growth. Its price-to-earnings ratio of 15.38 times and price-to-book ratio of 1.66 times are around average levels within the banking sector.

Kasikornbank has issued subordinated bonds qualifying as Tier 2 capital worth 800 million US dollars through its Hong Kong branch, to support the bank's capital structure management in line with its business plan. Mr. Chongrak Rattanapian, President of Kasikornbank, disclosed that the bonds have a 10-year term with an interest rate of 6.278% per annum, and the bank has the right to redeem them early upon completion of 5 years. The bonds received a credit rating of Ba1 from Moody's and are listed on the Singapore Exchange. BNP Paribas, Citigroup, J.P. Morgan and Standard Chartered Bank acted as joint bookrunners. The offering drew interest from foreign institutional investors, with total subscriptions reaching a peak of approximately 2.6 billion US dollars. Broken down by region, more than 60% was allocated to investors in Asia, with the remainder allocated to investors from other regions such as Europe. This bond issuance comes ahead of the redemption of the existing series of subordinated bonds qualifying as Tier 2 capital in October 2026.

Krungthai Bank has launched Krungthai TAX Solutions on the Krungthai BUSINESS platform, becoming the first Thai bank to bring key electronic tax services together on a single platform. It covers 4 main services: Krungthai e-Tax Invoice & e-Receipt, Krungthai e-Withholding Tax Plus, and two new services, Krungthai e-Stamp Duty for preparing and filing electronic stamp duty payments, and Krungthai e-Filing for preparing data, filing VAT forms Phor.Por. 30 and Phor.Por. 36 and withholding tax form Phor.Ngor.Dor. 54, making payments, and tracking electronic filing status. The services are certified by the Revenue Department and the Electronic Transactions Development Agency, or ETDA, and support businesses of all sizes, from SME operators to large organisations, as well as government agencies and state enterprises. They can also connect seamlessly with ERP or an organisation's own systems, helping reduce paper use and cut errors from manual work.

Wells Fargo has introduced ExpressSend Mobile, a dedicated remittance feature inside its consumer banking app that supports real-time international transfers from U.S. accounts to recipients in 12 countries. The bank says the launch makes it the only major U.S. bank offering an in-app, branded remittance channel of this type, putting it in direct competition with money transfer specialists inside its own app. Wells Fargo is one of the largest U.S. banks by market value at $263.2 billion and runs a broad mix of retail banking, mortgage lending, and consumer finance services, giving it a sizable existing customer base to plug into the new cross-border transfer tool. The company has not disclosed user adoption or transaction volume figures for ExpressSend Mobile, and investors will be watching for growth in active remittance users or transfer counts per quarter, as well as any commentary linking ExpressSend flows to higher digital engagement or cross-sell activity.

Fifth Third Bancorp is moving into the next phase of its Comerica integration, with management focused on converting cost savings into growth opportunities. Speaking at the Barclays 24th Annual Global Financial Services Conference, CFO Bryan Preston reaffirmed that FITB remains on track to deliver $850 million in annualized expense synergies by the fourth quarter of 2026, with the savings expected to support earnings in 2027. Rather than allowing the full benefit to flow through earnings, Fifth Third plans to reinvest a portion in branches, marketing and sales, particularly across the Southwest and California, accelerating branch openings to roughly 100 annually from about 50, with plans to open 150 new financial centers in Texas by 2029 and to target approximately 1,750 branches by 2030. The update comes shortly after the completion of the Comerica technology and brand conversion of approximately 600,000 Comerica customer accounts and 293 banking centers on Sept. 8, giving FITB a unified platform supporting more than $300 billion in assets, nearly 1,500 branches and operations across 17 of the 20 fastest-growing large U.S. metropolitan areas. Beyond cost savings, management expects more than $500 million in revenue synergies over the next three to five years, with the Comerica franchise adding a commercial loan portfolio that represents nearly 40% of FITB's total commercial loan book, and the bank also sees consumer cross-selling opportunities in mortgage, home-equity and wealth-management products.

JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon is betting on a small-business boom, pointing to a surge in new business formation filings this year that he attributes in part to artificial intelligence. Dimon said he does not expect AI costs to trickle down to small businesses, since many can get what they need from free versions of large language models online. The push is part of a broader consumer strategy at JPMorgan, which has expanded rapidly over the past five years, helped by the pandemic-era fiscal policy and its acquisition of First Republic Bank. The bank is aiming to keep that growth rate going over the next couple of years by expanding access to government-backed small-business loans, winning government contracts, and reducing regulatory and administrative burdens.

JPMorgan expects third-quarter 2026 investment banking fees and Markets revenues to each rise in the mid-to-high teens year over year, management said in its quarterly outlook. The IB fee guidance follows $2.6 billion in third-quarter 2025 and a stronger $3.2 billion in second-quarter 2026, so the expected moderation is largely a function of tough sequential comparisons rather than weaker deal activity. Markets revenues, which totaled $8.9 billion in third-quarter 2025 and a record $12.1 billion in second-quarter 2026, are also expected to normalize sequentially while still growing year over year on broad-based fixed income and equities strength. Those two lines feed JPMorgan's fee-driven revenue base, which sat within $22.5 billion of total non-interest revenues in third-quarter 2025, of which $13.8 billion came from the Commercial & Investment Bank segment. Higher client activity is expected to lift volume and compensation costs and limit operating leverage, leaving the ultimate earnings contribution dependent on how efficiently JPMorgan converts the revenue strength into incremental profitability. Among peers, Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan guided to third-quarter 2026 IB fees of $1.6-$1.8 billion, below $2 billion a year earlier, with sales and trading roughly flat at an implied $5.36 billion, while Citigroup expects Markets revenues up in the mid-single digits and IB revenues up in the low-single digits.

Mitsubishi UFJ Bank is moving toward compiling an in-house view in the near future on lending to defense-related companies, it was learned on the 17th. The bank will decide whether to extend loans on a case-by-case basis according to growth potential and other factors, taking into account whether such lending is consistent with the government's national security policy. The defense industry is one of 17 fields that the government has positioned as strategic investment targets in its growth strategy, and a policy has been set out to support startups and other companies through public-private investment with the aim of strengthening the technological and production base for dual-use goods such as drones.

KGI Securities has raised its 2027 target price for Kiatnakin Phatra Bank, or KKP, to 145 baht from 125 baht, citing high capital market income and a strong wealth management business that should allow KKP to maintain a high growth rate in the second half of 2026. Lower credit costs should also offset rising operating expenses. The research team lifted its 2027 earnings forecast by a further 5% to reflect fee income growth of 17%, up from 8% previously, and re-rated the PE to 14x from 12.5x, equivalent to a PBV of 1.75x, based on the shift to 2027 forecasts. That represents a premium of about 30% over fair PBV, reflecting the bank's ability to capture opportunities to lift ROE and a dividend yield as high as 7%.

KGI Securities has raised its target price for KKP shares to 145 baht from 125 baht, maintaining a buy recommendation, after lifting its 2027F profit forecast by a further 5% to reflect fee income growth accelerating to 17% from a previously estimated 8%, and a PE re-rating to 14x from 12.5x, equivalent to a PBV of 1.75x, based on the shift to 2027F estimates. That represents a premium of about 30% over fair PBV, reflecting the ability to lift ROE and a dividend yield as high as 7%. The research team kept its 2026F profit forecast unchanged, assessing that provisioning expenses have passed their peak and are trending down to 1.2-1.3% in the second half of 2026, after provisions rose to 1.46% of loans, supported by lower losses from repossessed vehicles and a 20% year-on-year decline in NPLs in the first half of 2026 across all loan segments, along with the clearing of long-overdue bad debts in the first half of 2026. On the wealth management side, KKP has gained market share, with its high net-worth asset base growing 13% year-to-date, mutual funds and private funds up 14%, and the Dime segment up more than 60%. It has assets under management of more than 1.1 trillion baht, growing at twice the industry average, and revenue from this business accounts for 70% of total non-NII income, or about 30% of total revenue. Meanwhile, investment banking revenue came in at 145 million baht in the first half of 2026, down 16% year-on-year, with the research team assuming IB fees of 312 million baht in 2026F and 350 million baht in 2027F.

JPMorgan Chase Co President Doug Petno said at a recent Barclays conference that the bank expects mid to high teens growth in third quarter investment banking fees and markets revenue, a bullish outlook that stood out as several peers struck a more cautious tone. The guidance, paired with broad based strength across products and regions, refocused investor attention on earnings durability and the bank's position in global capital markets. JPMorgan Chase shares have slipped 3.34% over the past month but remain up 7.29% over 90 days and 14.06% on a one year total shareholder return basis. The bank has generated $186.3b in revenue and $63.6b in net income, with earnings growing 8.5% per year over the past five years and 15.4% over the last year, while net profit margins of 34.2% came in slightly higher than the prior year. The most followed analyst narrative pins fair value near $370 against a last close of $348.92, and a discounted cash flow framework points to a future cash flow value of $494.01 per share, though JPMorgan Chase underperformed the broader US Banks industry over the past year, returning 14.1% versus the industry's 16.5%.

Kasikornbank has joined hands with King Power Suvarnabhumi Co., Ltd. to offer a promotion for the year-end travel season. Waraporn Viriyachaikul, Senior Director of Payment and Foreign Exchange Products Management at Kasikornbank, and Thossaporn Iamwattana, Director of Marketing Strategy and Business Development at King Power Suvarnabhumi Co., Ltd., jointly launched the offer. Customers who scan to exchange currency through K PLUS at Kasikornbank currency exchange booths nationwide from September 15, 2026 to December 31, 2026 will immediately receive a special exchange rate. Meanwhile, customers who exchange currency by paying with a Kasikornbank credit card at exchange booths at Suvarnabhumi Airport, excluding the B1 floor, Don Mueang, Phuket and Chiang Mai, will receive both the special rate and a 0% installment plan over 3 months from October 1, 2026 to December 31, 2026. In addition, customers who exchange currency under the conditions will receive discount coupons of up to 40% for perfume and cosmetics products, and discounts of up to 35% at King Power at Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Chiang Mai and Phuket airports, as well as The Standard, Bangkok Mahanakhon, MahaNakhon SkyWalk and participating shops at Pullman King Power Bangkok hotel, along with 10% discount coupons for participating food and beverage outlets within Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang and Phuket airports from September 15, 2026 to December 31, 2026, and a free beverage from DEAN & DELUCA, one glass, when spending reaches 1,200 baht or more per receipt at DEAN & DELUCA within Suvarnabhumi Airport from October 1, 2026 to December 31, 2026. Those interested can ask for further details and conditions at the K-Contact Center, tel. 02-8888888, and www.kasikornbank.com/k_fxoutbound

Analysts at KGI Securities (Thailand) Public Company Limited have raised their 2027 profit forecast for KKP by a further 5% and moved their new target price to 145 baht from 125 baht, noting that KKP's investment banking business, or IB, has the potential to grow and create upside for the 2027 profit forecast after slowing over the past several years because of the lackluster outlook for the SET index. Revenue from the IB business stood at 145 million baht in the first half of 2026, down 16% from the same period, based on assumptions of IB fees of 312 million baht and 350 million baht for 2026 and 2027 respectively. The company kept its 2026 profit forecast unchanged but raised its 2027 profit forecast by 5% to reflect fee revenue growth accelerating to 17% from a previous estimate of 8%, and re-rated the PE to 14 times from 12.5 times, equivalent to a P/BV of 1.75 times, after shifting to 2027 forecasts. That represents a premium of about 30% over fair PBV, reflecting the ability to capture opportunities to increase ROE and a dividend yield as high as 7%.

Following the Federal Reserve's decision to raise its policy rate, major US banks announced on the 16th that they are raising their prime rate. The Fed decided on its first rate hike since 2023 that day. Accordingly, JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Citigroup, Wells Fargo, KeyCorp, Huntington Bancshares, Fifth Third Bancorp, and Truist Financial will change their prime rate from the current 6.75% to 7.0%, effective the 17th. The prime rate is tied to the federal funds rate that the Fed targets and serves as the benchmark for setting interest rates on many financial products, including credit cards and personal loans. In general, rate hikes boost bank earnings through an increase in net interest income, the difference between lending and deposit rates, while monetary tightening can slow parts of the economy and lead to weaker loan demand and deteriorating borrower credit quality. Even so, at an industry conference held in New York this week, executives from major banks voiced a succession of positive views on the US economy.

Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. said it is increasing its prime rate to 7.00 percent from 6.75 percent, effective tomorrow, Sept. 17, 2026. The bank announced the change today from San Francisco. Wells Fargo & Company, the parent, is a financial services company with approximately $2.3 trillion in assets and four reportable operating segments: Consumer Banking and Lending, Commercial Banking, Corporate and Investment Banking, and Wealth & Investment Management. Wells Fargo ranked No. 38 on Fortune's 2026 rankings of America's largest corporations.

JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon said Wednesday that the country's small businesses are experiencing a "mini boom," telling Yahoo Finance during a visit to Washington that growth in new small businesses is far stronger than it has been. The remarks come as JPMorgan makes a policy push in Washington under a broader plan announced earlier this year to deploy $80 billion in capital and add 1,000 more small-business bankers. As part of that effort, JPMorgan is hiring 300 small business bankers next year, including 25 business consultants, aiming to add 3 million small business customers over the next several years after adding 3.1 million over the last five years. Through August, Americans filed 4.3 million business applications, the highest total for the first eight months of the year since the government began tracking the data in 2004, according to the US Census Bureau. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has also touted a potential boom among smaller firms, pointing to AI, while JPMorgan's head of business banking, Stevie Baron, noted that sticky inflation, input costs and healthcare costs remain real issues for small businesses.

Fifth Third Bank, National Association announced it will increase its prime lending rate to 7.00%, effective immediately. The rate was last changed on December 10, 2025, when Fifth Third decreased its prime lending rate from 7.00% to 6.75%. Fifth Third Bancorp is the indirect parent company of Fifth Third Bank, and its common stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol FITB.