Lloyds success could be a boon for the rest of us
Lloyds Banking Group is on track for profit in 2010. And it's even been lending businesses money...

Lloyds didn’t actually announce any specific figures today. But it said that profits in its high street banks were improving, and that its Halifax and C&G arms, the country's biggest mortgage lenders, managed to do ok despite falling house prices - largely thanks to customers moving from fixed-rate mortgages to its standard variable rates.
There’s a glimmer of hope here for businesses too. Banks have been heavily criticised for not lending enough - but the good news is that Lloyds has committed to throw £44bn in their direction by March, and has apparently already doled out £35bn by the end of its third quarter. Which is a start, at least. The bank is of course 40% owned by the taxpayer, so it’s reassuring to hear that it's diverting some of our money to the places where it is most needed.
Which brings us on to bonuses. While Daniels was keen to stress that he’s looking to 'share the success' with the group’s 100,000 employees, he also pointed out that this needn’t generate ‘eye-grabbing headlines’. As Daniels says, this is high-street banking, not investment banking, which makes it a relative saint in the ‘lining their own pockets’ stakes.