Global economy, oil and Brexit fears dent financial services confidence

In recent months 42% of major banks and insurers said their “confidence had diminished” because of this cocktail of ongoing uncertainties, said the Financial Institutions Sentiment Survey 2016 by Lloyds Bank.

Only 3% of the more than 100 major institutions surveyed said they were more “hopeful” about prospects than they were a year ago.

The firms, which also included asset managers and private equity funds, added that the two major threats facing the UK’s economy were volatile financial markets and new regulation.

The report said 70% of firms said jumpy financial markets, sparked by a slowing economy in China, was a key obstacle to UK growth.

As China’s industrial growth has slowed, global oil prices have fallen by some 70% since the summer of 2014.

The UK’s June 23 EU referendum vote and warnings by Chancellor George Osborne and Bank of England governor Mark Carney that a vote to leave the 28-nation bloc will damage growth, have also clouded the economic environment.

The survey found that 70% of companies also said new regulation, as watchdogs keep a tighter focus on financial firms, could also hinder expansion in Britain.