British bank Lloyds TSB said today it had held its interim dividend as it reported a 5 per cent increase in first half pre-tax profits.
Lloyds TSB, Britain's biggest provider of current accounts, said pre-tax profit rose to £1.677 billion sterling.
The bank also said it had agreed to buy the 70 per cent it does not own in Goldfish Bank from Centrica .
Investors had been concerned the bank's new chief executive, Mr Eric Daniels, would use his first set of results to cut the dividend, bolstering the bank's capital and giving him more flexibility to build the lender's domestic business.
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Analysts' consensus for pre-tax earnings was £1.64 billion, with estimates ranging from £1.35 billion to £.94 billion.