Citigroup, the huge financial organisation of which Citibank is a part, is being urged to break up by some union representatives.
A union president has written to the Citibank Chairman asking him to give some value back to the shareholders by breaking up the business into smaller parts. He does not want to see the supermarket approach of offering everything continued, preferring a more targeted approach.
Shares in Citigroup have fallen by over 60 percent in the last 12 months and it is felt that were the businesses to be split up so they stand on their own merits share prices in most of them would rise. Citibank is a part of all this and although there is no expectation of a shake up taking place it will still be interesting to see where the share price goes on the back of the discussion.
The Alliance and Leicester Premier 21 account turned one year old today and to mark the occasion a ten percent interest rate offer has been reintroduced for new customers.
The ten percent offer on the Alliance and Leicester current account will be valid for the first GBP1,000 deposited and kept in the account for 12 months. After the first year the rate will revert to a base rate tracker.
The current account is available to customers aged between 16 and 21, with an interest free overdraft facility available to those over 18. An Alliance and Leicester spokesman believes that by concentrating their efforts on smaller markets such as this they can deliver a product better suited to their needs.
An approach has been made by Lloyds TSB for German bank Dresdner as the well known UK financial institution looks to maximise retail opportunities across Europe.
Lloyds TSB has ridden the credit crunch very well and as such it is in a very strong position compared with many others. This is why it is making tentative enquiries regarding the German bank, valued at around GBP6 billion. It has a keen interest in the German market generally as it is also looking at a couple of other big name German banks that are potentially for sale.
At the moment there is no immediate need for action so Lloyds TSB will seek the views of their shareholders as to their thoughts on how they wish to see their funds invested before making any further steps toward purchase.