HSBC Accelerates Restructuring, Heathrow Appeals for Third Runway Investments

The European banking sector was dominated by the publication of financial results from HSBC and Standard Chartered. HSBC, under the leadership of Chairman Georges Elhedery, reported a 7% drop in pre-tax profit for 2025, translating to $29.9 billion. Nevertheless, these results exceeded analysts' expectations. The bank recorded significant one-off charges, including write-downs related to investments in China and costs of structural reorganization. The institution's key message remains the acceleration of its restructuring program, which has already led to the reduction of many high-ranking managers. Meanwhile, Standard Chartered published data showing a 25% increase in annual profit, driven mainly by its wealth management segment, resulting in a new $1.5 billion share buyback program. The situation in air transport evokes mixed feelings. Heathrow, Europe's largest hub, closed 2025 with a profit of £575 million compared to £917 million the previous year. Despite worse financial results, the airport handled a record 84.5 million passengers. The airport's CEO, Thomas Woldbye, alerted the public that the planned £33 billion third runway construction project is facing regulatory hurdles. The port requires clear financial frameworks from the government to attract private capital and begin construction work by the target date of 2029. The dividend payment of £550 million was the first such operation in five years, which should satisfy patient foreign investors from Qatar and Saudi Arabia. In the broader economic context, other industrial entities draw attention. Home appliance manufacturer SEB plans to cut 2,100 jobs by 2027, battling rising production costs. Meanwhile, the company Axon, known for producing tasers, recorded a sharp rise in its share price after publishing results that exceeded market forecasts. In the commodities market, South African Valterra Platinum nearly doubled its profits thanks to record platinum prices, showing that 2025 was a time of extreme contrasts between service-based sectors and commodity markets.The project to expand Heathrow Airport with a third runway has been the subject of political and environmental debate in the UK for over two decades, and its implementation has been repeatedly halted by court rulings and changes in strategy by successive cabinets.„We are becoming a simple, more agile, focused bank built for a fast-changing world.” — Georges Elhedery The complex financial map of early 2026 indicates a dominant trend of EBITDA remaining stable while large corporations cut operational costs. Investors are reacting positively to financial discipline, as seen in the share prices of HSBC and Standard Chartered on the London and Hong Kong stock exchanges.