A Royal Bank of Scotland-led team today put further pressure on rival ABN Amro suitor Barclays, as the consortium tabled a formal £48.2 billion offer for the Dutch Bank.

Royal Bank of Scotland turned up the heat on rival Barclays after today sweetening the terms of its £48.2 bn (€71bn) offer for Dutch bank ABN Amro.

A Royal Bank of Scotland-led team today said it would press on with a new offer for ABN Amro despite a court ruling allowing the Dutch bank to sell its US banking operation, LaSalle.

The Royal Bank of Scotland-led bid for ABN Amro was thrown into disarray today as a Dutch Supreme Court ruling gave the go-ahead for the sale of ABN’s American banking operation.