BANKING group HBOS yesterday stayed silent on claims that its bosses will meet this week to finalise plans for a £10 billion bid for Abbey National.

Banking group HBOS today stayed silent on claims that its bosses will meet this week to finalise plans for a £10bn (€14.7bn) bid for Abbey National.

The Spanish bank poised to take over Abbey National is to speed up its £8.2bn (€12.2bn) takeover to head off interest from rival bidders, it was reported today.

Spain’s Santander Central Hispano (BSCH) says it will cut about 3,000 jobs at takeover target Abbey National to cut costs if the deal is approved.

THE Spanish bank poised to take over British mortgage lender Abbey National will walk away if the £8.2 billion deal (€12.3 billion) is stalled by competition concerns, it was reported yesterday.

The Spanish bank poised to take over Britain's Abbey National will walk away if the £8.2bn (€12.1bn) deal is stalled by competition concerns, it was reported today.

Abbey National said it remained committed to a takeover by Spain’s largest bank today despite speculation linking it to a deal with a UK rival.

Speculation over a bidding war for Abbey National refused to die down today amid reports two more UK groups were reviewing their positions.

Abbey National shares made further gains today after it emerged that Halifax and Bank of Scotland group HBOS was thinking over a rival bid for the UK bank.

BANKING group HBOS is mulling a possible £9 billion counter-bid for takeover target Abbey National, it was reported yesterday.

Banking group HBOS is mulling a possible £9bn (€13.6bn) counter-bid for takeover target Abbey National, it was reported today.

Abbey National today said it had reached agreement with Banco Santander Central Hispano (BSCH) on the terms of a takeover by the Spanish bank.

The board of Abbey National was today expected to back an £8bn (€12bn)-plus takeover bid for the group from a Spanish bank.

The board of Abbey National was understood to be meeting today to discuss whether to recommend an £8bn-plus (€12bn) takeover approach from a Spanish bank.

British banking group Abbey National is in takeover talks with Spanish bank Banco Santander Central Hispano, it emerged today.

Shares in troubled banking group Abbey National soared 16% today after it confirmed it had received a takeover approach.

Banking group Abbey National remained tight-lipped over a weekend report claiming it had received a “serious” takeover offer from a Spanish bank.

Banking group Abbey National today remained tight-lipped over a report claiming it had received a “serious” takeover offer from a Spanish bank.