Credit Suisse says, “We are reducing the RWA targets from USD 83-85 billion to USD 60 billion by end-2016. The 2016 leverage target has been reduced from USD 380 billion to USD 290 billion.
A number of actions have been underway since our Investor Day on October 21, 2015, to address the challenges we face in our Global Markets activities. A high and inflexible cost base was exacerbated by volatile market conditions and lower volumes in 4Q15. We are taking action to lower the cost base of Global Markets by reducing headcount by 2,000. This will drive a decline in the Global Markets’ cost base from USD 6.6 billion to USD 5.4 billion by end-2018. Global Markets expects further write-downs in 1Q16, resulting in a loss for 1Q16, albeit at a lower level compared to 4Q15. We have downscaled exposures that are not commensurate with our risk appetite. We are exiting activities that are not consistent with our new strategy.
The future shape of Global Markets will comprise an Equities business, a restructured Credit business and a Solutions platform, which will aggregate our derivative capabilities across products as well as Emerging Markets. We are exiting Distressed Credit, European Securitized Product trading and Long-Term Illiquid Funding and we are reducing capital allocation to other lines of business, including consolidating FX Cash and Options into our STS operations, which are part of the Swiss UB. Equities will remain a core area of focus for the bank and we will continue to build on our leading Cash, Prime and ECM franchises.”
In terms of look-through CET1 ratio, Credit Suisse intends to operate within a range of between 11% and 12% in 2016. In addition to the accelerated cost reductions and the restructuring of Global Markets, a number of additional measures, including business and asset disposals of at least CHF 1.0 billion and a more precise targeting of growth investments spend, will help it to protect its capital position in challenging markets.
