HSBC profits surge 32%, sparking fresh calls for bank taxes in the budget – business live

Good morning, and welcome to our rolling coverage of business, the financial markets and the world economy.

As he puts the finishing touches to tomorrow’s budget, John Healey may note that another bank has reported a jump in earnings.

HSBC is handing $2.7bn (£2bn) to shareholders after a 32% surge in profits, that will further assure the Treasury that the UK’s top banks can shoulder a tax hike in the budget, my colleague Kalyeena Makortoff reports .

The London headquartered bank reported this morning that profits grew nearly a third to $9.6bn in the July to September quarter - slightly below consensus estimates - helped by higher interest rates, lower loan losses and smaller legal provisions compared to last year.

It meant the bank could hand $2.7bn to shareholders. That included another $1bn share buyback, as well as an interim dividend of $0.1 per share, that the bank said would mean distributing another $1.71bn to its investors.

Net interest income - the difference between what banks charge for loans versus pay out for savers’ deposits, rose to $9.3bn from $8.8bn year on year. However, that was apparently lifted by its hedging strategy and a growth in deposits in Hong Kong, while UK deposits stayed flat.

HSBC is following Barclays , which last week reported a 12% jump in profits