Natwest Bank has just announced its latest student current account offers, with interest free overdrafts, laptop savings and reduced rail fares all available.
This time of year sees all the major banks introducing their student offers, and the one from the Natwest Bank looks like a very good one. Of particular interest to students is the size of the overdraft, which starts at GBP1,250 with the Natwest, going up to GBP2,000 by year five. They are also offering a GBP100 discount of Asus laptops as well as GBP50 off 3 mobile broadband.
The Natwest current account for students also makes it easier for them to travel, with a railcard that can save over GBP120 per year on travel. For anyone thinking of signing up online do it before the end of October and the Natwest will throw in a Microsoft Lifecam as well as everything else they offer.
Northern Rock has revealed plans to shed around 1,300 jobs as it reorganises operations and looks to the future.
This figure is lower than originally expected, which is good news for some members of staff who wish to stay. Northern Rock are anticipating around 500 people taking voluntary redundancy, leaving just 800 to be selected by management. The original estimate was for around 2,000 job losses, but discussions with staff representatives and management has lowered that number.
After being nationalised earlier this year Northern Rock has a duty to pay back the money loaned to it and in order to do this it has had to revise the way it operates. Cutting costs but remaining active in the key markets is how this will be achieved, hence the job losses now being applied.
Although the general feeling may be that UK banks are currently taking a beating an investment expert has suggested Lloyds TSB makes a great investment opportunity right now.
The analyst felt that in the midst of what have been torrid trading conditions Lloyds TSB had announced very encouraging results. The bank has taken a cautious stance on mortgages, buy to let ones especially, and also any securities that are underwritten by assets.
This approach has kept Lloyds TSB away from the worst of the difficulties facing some other banks and left them looking strong as they move forwards. The bank appears to be a relatively safe haven with the cautious management approach but also offers the opportunity for substantial growth as Lloyds TSB uses its relative strength to maximise market opportunities.
