The Telegraph reports US preference shareholders filed a class action against RBS, its directors and advisory banks in 2009 saying they had been materially misled about its sub-prime exposure and acquisition of ABN Amro.

However, a New York district judge dismissed the case in its entirety and found there had been no “material” mis-statements.

The report said the decision came just after it emerged UK shareholders who took part in the bank’s £12bn rights issue in 2008 were about to launch a lawsuit of their own.