Alliance and Leicester shares leapt by almost 50 percent today as news of an agreement regarding the takeover of the bank by Santander was announced.
At a price of 317 pence per share the Alliance and Leicester is being valued at GBP1.33 billion, a price that the Spanish based buyer is happy to pay. The deal is based on trading one Santander share for three Alliance and Leicester ones, making it a very attractive proposition for shareholders and stimulating such fierce trading in them today.
The offer cannot go through without agreement by at least 75 percent of the Alliance and Leicester shareholders, though this is not expected to be an issue. If successful the bid would give Santander, with its other existing UK holdings, a share of the UK savings and unsecured personal loan markets in excess of 8 percent.
The first six months of the year has seen Northern Rock record a loss of GBP585 million, primarily through their customers being unable to meet the payments on their mortgage.
The figures provided by Northern Rock show 1.18 percent of customers are regularly missing mortgage payments, which is an increase of 300 percent compared with 12 months ago. The upshot of missed payments is arrears, with the number of people now in this state also up by around 300 percent.
The worry for everyone looking at the housing situation, not just Northern Rock, is that these arrears can turn into repossessions, especially where negative equity becomes a problem, such a situation will be affecting many homeowners who bought their house within the last two years.
New Lloyds TSB current account customers will be able to enjoy a 6 percent interest rate if they open the Lloyds Plus account before 13 July.
The account is paying this exceptional rate for 12 months from the date the account is opened on balances up to GBP25,002. After the year is up the interest rate will rever back to 4 percent, still a very good rate in itself. The one proviso made is that at least GBP1,000 must be paid into the Lloyds TSB current account each month.
A spokeswoman from Lloyds TSB proudly stood by the rate offered, delighted that it was offering higher rates while many of its competitors were reducing theirs.
