London: Lloyds Banking Group Plc, Britain’s biggest mortgage lender, set aside £3.2 billion (€3.6bn) to settle claims that clients were improperly sold loan insurance, breaking ranks with British competitors.

Taxpayer-backed Lloyds Banking Group today announced it was putting on hold further UK branch closures until the end of 2011 as its new boss Antonio Horta-Osorio completes a strategy overhaul.

THE British-based Lloyds TSB Bank suffered a £4 billion (€4.264bn) bad debt write-down on its Irish operations last year, up from €2.949bn in 2009.

Part-nationalised Lloyds Banking Group today revealed its first annual profit since being bailed out at the height of the financial crisis.

The outgoing chief executive of taxpayer-backed Lloyds Banking Group is poised to receive a bonus of around £2m (€2.4m), it was reported today.

Banking giant HSBC announced a new UK boss today as part of a management reshuffle by incoming chief executive Stuart Gulliver.

The London market fluctuated today ahead of a decision by the US Federal Reserve on how they intend to stimulate economic recovery.

Investors cheered news today of Lloyds Banking Group’s success in securing Santander UK boss Antonio Horta-Osorio as its new chief executive.

Lloyds Banking Group named Santander’s UK boss, Antonio Horta-Osorio, as successor to outgoing chief executive Eric Daniels today.

HSBC chief executive Michael Geoghegan is to step down by the end of the year in a major boardroom shake-up, the banking giant said today.

The FTSE 100 Index soared past the 5600 level today as stock markets worldwide rallied ahead of Tuesday's key meeting on interest rates by the US Federal Reserve.

Investors in British taxpayer-backed Lloyds Banking Group today protested over executive pay plans at the firm’s annual general meeting.

Part-nationalised British bank Lloyds today confirmed it returned to profit in the first three months of the year after a marked slowdown in bad debts.

Part-nationalised British lender Lloyds Banking Group slumped into the red last year with losses of £6.3bn (€7bn), it said today.

Blue-chip banks were in focus on the London market today amid more news on bonuses as investors awaited annual results from the part-nationalised players.

Royal Bank of Scotland chief executive Stephen Hester could be in line for a bonus of up to £1.6m (€1.82m) this week despite the bank's predicted hefty losses, it was reported today.

THE monetary impact of writing off so-called “bad” loans – or those which are unlikely to be repaid – including a significant amount in its Irish operations, led Lloyds Banking Group into posting heavy losses for the first half of this year.

Shares in part-nationalised Lloyds Banking Group raced 11% ahead today after the bank said the worst of its HBOS bad debts were behind it.

The British government body charged with overseeing State-owned bank stakes today threw its weight behind Lloyds Banking Group ahead of its annual meeting later this week.

Lloyds Banking Group’s hunt for a new chairman was underway today following the resignation of Victor Blank.

Victor Blank today said he will retire as chairman of part-nationalised Lloyds Banking Group before the firm’s annual meeting next year.

Lloyds Banking Group chairman Victor Blank is set to step down, it was reported today.

The UK Shareholders Association (UKSA) today said it was forming an action group to represent smaller investors in Lloyds Banking Group in the wake of its latest bail-out from British taxpayers.

Bosses of Lloyds Banking Group were facing calls to quit today as the stock market prepared to give its verdict on the latest multi-billion pound bailout by the British taxpayer.

Lloyds Banking Group warned today that HBOS – the ailing bank it rescued last year – could post annual losses of around £10bn (€11.3bn) for 2008.

Major banking brands Lloyds TSB, Halifax and Bank of Scotland will all remain on the British high street after the planned HBOS rescue, Lloyds TSB said today.

It is as yet unclear whether the £12.2bn (€15.5bn) takeover of HBOS bank by Lloyds TSb in the UK has implications for Irish workers.

Lloyds TSB unveiled details today of its £12.2bn (€15.5bn) takeover of ailing rival Halifax Bank of Scotland.

Lloyds TSB added to nerves at the start of the bank reporting season today after it revealed more credit crunch losses but assured its underlying business was strong.

Banking group Lloyds TSB was today reported to be working on plans to buy Germany’s Dresdner Bank from insurance giant Allianz.

British banking group Lloyds TSB today revealed a further £387m (€491.3m) hit from the credit crunch, but signalled there would be no need for a cash call to investors.

A man who tried to murder a 10-year-old girl because he "wanted to see what it was like to kill someone" lost his appeal against a life sentence today.

UK banking group Lloyds TSB today posted a 7% rise in half-year profits and said its retail division was continuing to attract new business.

Banking group Lloyds TSB today blamed the sale of overseas businesses for a 7% fall in half-year profits to £1.56bn (€2.4bn).

British banking group Lloyds TSB is to sell its businesses in Argentina and Colombia as it continues to dispose of non-core operations, it announced today.

Banking group Lloyds TSB reported satisfactory progress for the year so far today as it showed signs of benefiting from a strategic overhaul.

Lloyds TSB said today it expected a “satisfactory” half-year trading performance, the bank's AGM was told today.

BOSSES of Britain’s 10 largest companies saw their pay packages rise by more than 12 times the rate of inflation in 2003, new research showed yesterday.

Lloyds TSB chief executive Eric Daniels took home £1.06m (€1.6m) during 2003 - 16% less than he earned the previous year, the bank said today.

Blue-chip stocks will be back on the radar of UK market analysts this week when a clutch of heavyweight companies issues results or trading statements. In particular, the banking sector will be in focus.

Lloyds TSB is to reduce the number of UK branch advisers who sell its financial products by a third, it was reported today.

LLOYDS TSB Group plc held its final dividend yesterday despite an 18% profit drop, but shares in Britain’s fourth-biggest bank lost ground as investors fretted about its future dividend policy.

The case against a 19-year-old South Tipperary man for the attempted murder and attempted sexual assault of a 10-year-old girl ended today when the accused pleaded guilty to attempted murder.

A young man on trial for the attempted murder and attempted sexual assault of a 10-year-old girl denied he had anything to do with it when confronted by the girl's neighbour shortly after the incident.