UK Treasury chief to reassure NY bankers over London future

Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond speaks on the second day of the Conservative party conference in Birmingham, England, Monday Oct. 3, 2016. Philip Hammond told the BBC on Monday that Britain will face a couple of years, or longer, of uncertainty as Britain goes through the process of leaving the 28-nation trading bloc. (Joe Giddens/PA via AP) (The Associated Press)

LONDON – Britain's Treasury chief has a message for major bankers in New York: London will keep its leading position on the financial stage even after it leaves the European Union.

Chancellor Philip Hammond intends to meet with the chiefs of Citigroup, Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs and other major players in a series of meetings in New York on Thursday.

He aims to lower concerns about London's future as a financial services hub raised by the Brexit vote in June. His office says he will emphasize that London's strength as a global player will not be diminished.

He will also attend the International Monetary Fund's annual meeting while he is in the United States.

The Brexit vote has created much uncertainty and spurred a drop in the value of the British pound.