A Microsoft service disruption interrupted email-based trade checks at financial firms on Friday, prompting some desks to switch to calls and adding work for settlement teams, Bloomberg reported.
Outlook, Teams and Copilot were among the affected services. Several hours into the incident, some software access remained unavailable. Microsoft said its effort to restart affected infrastructure was showing encouraging signs. Downdetector recorded about 200,000 reports involving Microsoft services, and Microsoft shares fell 0.4% in extended trading, Bloomberg reported.
In Sydney, Rita Elkazzi, UBS Group’s execution-sales head for Australia and New Zealand, said she moved communications to other channels when Outlook became unavailable and added checks of trade summaries. In Singapore, Eugene Koh, a sales trader at CMC Markets Singapore, said staff relied more on phone calls and WhatsApp. Routine tasks handled by email took longer and sometimes required a call, Bloomberg reported.
Ryutaro Kimura, a senior bond strategist at BNP Paribas Asset Management in Tokyo, said trades were still being executed, while settlement staff faced a growing queue of confirmations. Bloomberg also reported that some banks in Singapore were unable to complete financing deals.
The disruption affected other organizations. U.S. truck and bus maker Workhorse Group postponed an earnings release. Japan’s Ministry of Finance said it could not receive email, while Australia’s exchange operator ASX told customers its services remained available despite an issue affecting some Microsoft 365 services. In India, IIFL Capital Services warned clients that responses to email inquiries could be delayed, Bloomberg reported.
Microsoft said it planned to review the outage after mitigation but did not set a publication date. EconoTimes previously covered the planned review.
