Revealed: UK banks' exposure to eurozone debt

clock • 1 min read

As the eurozone crisis reaches a crescendo, the Bank of England has revealed just how much exposure UK banks have to the region's most troubled economies.

The Bank's latest Financial Stability Report, released late last week, revealed just how much risk is posed to the UK's four largest banks by the eurozone. The chart below shows the exposure of each bank to retail and corporate clients in the worst affected eurozone countries, consisting of Spain, Greece, Ireland, Italy and Portugal. Out of the big four, Barclays had the most exposure to retail clients as a percentage of its core tier 1 capital as at the end of September. HSBC is the most exposed to Greece in terms of lending to corporates, while RBS has the most exposure to corpor...

To continue reading this article...

Join Professional Adviser for free

  • Unlimited access to real-time news, industry insights and market intelligence
  • Stay ahead of the curve with spotlights on emerging trends and technologies
  • Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletters
  • Make smart business decisions with the latest developments in regulation, investing retirement and protection
  • Members-only access to the editor’s weekly Friday commentary
  • Be the first to hear about our events and awards programmes

Join

 

Already a Professional Adviser member?

Login

More on Economics / Markets

Advisers predict returns uptick in face of increased market volatility until 2030

Advisers predict returns uptick in face of increased market volatility until 2030

Investor Confidence Barometer from Scottish Widows

Jenna Brown
clock 07 January 2026 • 2 min read
Advisers see more market volatility coming in 2026

Advisers see more market volatility coming in 2026

Uncertainty over the global economy and UK inflation rate

Isabel Baxter
clock 06 January 2026 • 2 min read
Inflation falls faster than predicted ahead of BoE interest rate vote

Inflation falls faster than predicted ahead of BoE interest rate vote

3.2% in November

Michael Nelson
clock 17 December 2025 • 2 min read