Royal Bank of Scotland Group denied deliberately forcing the collapse of small business customers in the wake of the 2007 financial crisis after two news organisations published leaked internal documents.

Royal Bank of Scotland Group suspended bonuses of 18 traders as part of a review of foreign-exchange business in the wake of a $634m (€521.25m) fine.

Royal Bank of Scotland’s boss said he did not believe it had conducted a “systematic” effort to profit from its troubled business customers.