HBOS detractors jump the gun

The bad news has been piling up at HBOS, but we shouldn’t call in the movers just yet.

HBOS rights issue: Nailing the blame game

HBOS is now the UK’s second-biggest mortgage lender after Spanish-owned Abbey claimed 25% of the market in the first half of 2008. The Scottish bank is trading well below book value, and reported in its half-year results, a drop in profits of 58% year on year. A £4 billion ($8 billion) rights issue fell flat with all but 8% of shareholders (see Bank rights issues: A right mess of issues, Euromoney, August 2008), and there are hefty funding requirements.

Access this research

Enter your work email address to sign in or check whether your organisation already has access to Euromoney.