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Santander UK shelves flotation plans

by: Mortgage Solutions
  • 21/07/2011
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Santander UK shelves flotation plans
Santander has scrapped its plan to float 20% of its UK business in Q4 this year, due to uncertainty around the Independent Commission on Banking’s (ICB) proposals to ring fence retail banking from investment.

The initial public offering, worth around £20bn, has been delayed until the first half of 2012, according to the Independent.

The flotation has already been delayed once. It was planned for the first half of 2011, until its then UK chief executive Antonio Horta-Osorio left for Lloyds Banking Group, taking key management members with him.

The further delay to Santander’s plan has come from the uncertainty over how the ICB and government will define its ring fencing proposals.

Santander UK’s business is made up of around 85% retail and commercial banking, with the rest falling under investment.

Until the ICB makes its recommendations and the government accepts them, the lender will not know whether its non-retail services will be part of the flotation or separated off.

However, a Santander spokesperson maintained that the lender still plans to float part of the business before the end of the year, subject to the markets.

The ICB is set to publish its final report on 12 September.

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