Two of the worlds leading custodian banks have seen a difficult end to 2011 as results show declines in profit and FX revenue. Surprisingly both banks have been under the regulators radar.
BNY Mellon announced a significant reduction in profit, the group made $505 million; down by 26%.
Their FX division saw an 11% reduction in revenue compared to 2010.
On the other hand, State Street saw revenue on an operating basis ending flat however the $2.29 billion measured below Wall Street analysts who estimated $2.4 billion.
Their FX revenues were down by 12%.
BNY Mellon has been facing a civil suit against them on the back of one if its pension finds claiming they were overcharged for dealings in Foreign Exchange . State Street saw the SEC investigate the pricing they gave to their custodial clients.
2011 was a strong year for ECN's as Volatility helped trade volumes, however BNY and State Streets decline in trade volumes shows how important reputation is in this fast paced industry.