Standard Chartered Bank

Standard Chartered Bank (LSE: STAN) is a British multinational banking and financial services company headquartered in London, UK. The bank was formed in 1969 through the merger of The Standard Bank of British South Africa and The Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China.

Standard Chartered offers a wide range of consumer banking services, including:

• Savings and account services

• Mortgages

• Credit cards

• Wealth management products

• Cash management and trade finance for SMEs

• Wholesale banking services for corporate and institutional clients

• Islamic banking services in compliance with Shariah law

The bank has an extensive network serving customers across Asia, Africa and the Middle East. As of June 2010, Standard Chartered had total assets of USD 480.8 billion and over 77,300 employees globally. The bank operates nearly 1,700 branches and 5,679 ATMs, primarily in emerging markets. Standard Chartered generates the majority of its profits from Asia-Pacific, which accounted for 53.2% of profits before tax in the first half of 2010. The bank aims to leverage its strong presence in high-growth emerging markets to drive future expansion and revenue growth.