Lloyds Banking Group

Members of the public may be offered discounted shares in state-owned banks if the Conservatives win the next General Election.

A last-minute rush to accelerate the payment of bonuses ahead of April's introduction of the 50p tax rate for high earners is under way, amid mounting anger by top executives over the squeeze on their take-home pay.

Traders are making record bets against the euro, underlining the mounting alarm over the region's debt crisis.

Clerical Medical's managing director, John van Der Wielen, is to step down as part of a high-level reshuffle at Lloyds Banking Group.

Disappointing US jobless data coupled with meltdown fears in Greece and Portugal as well as poor figures from Shell, hammered share prices in London today.

Virgin Money chairman Brian Pitman has confirmed rumours the bank is interested in buying Lloyds and Royal Bank of Scotland branches.

Lloyds Banking Group has announced 585 further job losses, as it moves to close its 58 Black Horse personal loan centres.

Economic growth prospects remain positive, despite a drop in confidence among businesses, according to the Lloyds TSB business barometer.

The FTSE 100 opened slightly lower this morning after falls on Wall Street and in Asia, dipping 4.76 points (0.09%) to 5,493 in early trading.

Banks are denying savers tax benefits by paying less on fixed-rate cash ISAs than on similar taxable bonds.