Lloyds

A number of UK equity income managers have begun building positions in Lloyds Banking Group as the lender prepares to return to the UK dividend register.

Disappointing results have sent HSBC shares down 5% and erased the FTSE 100's early gains on the first day of trading this week.

The Chancellor will not sell any of the government's stake in Lloyds Banking Group until September, dashing recent hopes in the City of a sell-off as early as this week, according to reports.

Shares in the Royal Bank of Scotland dropped as much as 6% after the bank reported its half year results and announced its new CEO.

Shares in Lloyds Banking Group and Jupiter Fund Management soared on Thursday after both groups reported hefty profits in their half-year results.

Lloyds Banking group is back in the black after announcing a pre-tax profit of £2.1bn for the six months to the end of June - and said it is on course to target IFA clients "orphaned" by RDR.

LLOYDS

The UK government is considering divesting £5bn of its stake in Lloyds Banking Group as early as September this year, according to reports.

UK banks remain at risk of very serious problems, according to Charles MacKinnon, chief investment officer at Thurleigh Investment Managers.

Invesco Perpetual's Neil Woodford is considering snapping up shares in Lloyds Banking Group when the government begins selling its stake, according to reports which the fund group has denied.