StanChart Profit Hits Record as Lender Downplays Gulf Risk

Standard Chartered Plc posted record first-quarter earnings that surged past analyst estimates, as record wealth inflows offset precautionary charges linked to escalating tensions in the Middle East.

The London-headquartered lender reported a pretax profit of $2.5 billion for the first three months of 2026, significantly higher than the $2.09 billion Bloomberg-compiled consensus estimate.