any one got a feelling in their water how far LLoyds will go looking to to buy but just dont know when they are low enough

both LLOY and RBS "agreeing" to sell part of retail networks (+other bits) off to appease the EU. Both probably around 5% of mkt share, so look forward to seeing some Tesco banks on the high street, and likely beardy branson shops too. Both will look to pick these up on the cheap, and then undercut the established players to nick the better customers. Look forward to getting 5 off your mortgate every month, and another 20p on your savings account. In the meantime , the 20k odd per head the govt has stuffed into the 2 big banks (i.e we as taxpayers have invested! ) will be at risk as their profits come under pressure from the new entrants.

Surely the govt can see the best way to get back some serious dosh is to let LLOY and RBS make a load of money in the next few years (as they have started to do now); let the shareprices recover 5-fold, then sell the shares they / we own. Job done, budget deficit sorted.

At least the incumbents have got 4 years to organise the sales! Hopefully they will drag their feet.

Publication of Prospectus.

Repurchase and Cancellation of Preference Shares






TIDMLLOY

RNS Number : 3471E
Lloyds Banking Group PLC
18 December 2009

?

18 December 2009

Repurchase and Cancellation of Preference Shares
As described in its previous announcement on 14 December 2009, Lloyds Banking
Group plc ("Lloyds Banking Group") has now settled the exchanges described in
that announcement. Pursuant to these exchanges, on 17 December 2009, Lloyds
Banking Group repurchased for cancellation (i) 15,400 preference shares
(representing U.S.$15,400,000 in liquidation preference) of its U.S.$750,000,000
6.413 per cent. Non-Cumulative Fixed to Floating Rate Preference Shares (ISIN:
GB00B3KSBH82) leaving 374,810 preference shares (representing U.S.$ 374,810,000
in liquidation preference) outstanding; (ii) 183,610 preference shares
(representing U.S.$183,610,000 in liquidation preference) of its
U.S.$750,000,000 5.92 per cent. Non-Cumulative Fixed to Floating Rate Preference
Shares (ISIN: GB00B3KSBJ07) leaving 371,933 preference shares (representing
U.S.$371,933,000 in liquidation preference) outstanding; (iii) 62,808 preference
shares (representing U.S.$62,808,000 in liquidation preference) of its
U.S.$750,000,000 6.657 per cent. Non-Cumulative Fixed to Floating Rate
Preference Shares (ISIN: GB00B3KSBK12) leaving 434,350 preference shares
(representing U.S.$434,350,000 in liquidation preference) outstanding; and (iv)
14,840 preference shares (representing U.S.$14,840,000 in liquidation
preference) of its U.S.$1,000,000,000 6.267 per cent. Non-Cumulative Fixed to
Floating Rate Preference Shares (ISIN: XS0460002693) leaving 533,618 preference
shares (representing U.S.$533,618,000 in liquidation preference) outstanding.

- END -

Dead Donkey - need say no more !

Bank shares fall on fears over new regulations

Global banking stocks have fallen on concerns that banks will have to maintain significantly more funds in reserve from 2012.

UK banking sector 'significantly more stable'

The UK's financial system has become "significantly more stable over the past six months", the Bank of England has reported.

It said the situation had improved on the back of its efforts to assist the sector, such as its quantitative easing (QE) programme and 0.5% interest rates.