News for Spread Betters

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There's a new Investor Edition of CMC Markets' spread betting platform... and it's exclusive to DigitalLook.com users...

Get full details about Marketmaker:Investor Edition here.

News for Spread Betters

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There's a new Investor Edition of CMC Markets' spread betting platform... and it's exclusive to DigitalLook.com users...

Get full details about Marketmaker:Investor Edition here.

Unsecured Loans

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Lighten the load of all those repayments with a low rate unsecured loan. This month's selected offers:

1. Barclays Loans
2. Halifax Loans

AMEX Platinum

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Money back on your spendings? With American Express Platinum MoneyBack card, you can get

• 5% Money Back* during your first 3 months, then
• standard Money Back rate up to 1.5% with
• typical APR 18.9% variable

Why look further? Apply now!

Digital Look's Best Picks

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Your money can work for you! Get it going with one of this month’s high interest current accounts:

1. A&L Premier Direct
2. Coventry First Account
3. Co-operative Current Plus

Date: Monday 13 Oct 2008

LONDON (ShareCast) - Britain’s second largest building society, the Britannia, has confirmed it is holding talks with Co-Operative Financial Services about a possible merger.

The building society said talks are at a very early stage, and a wide range of options for collaboration are being discussed ahead of the expected change in the law later this year that will make it easier for different types of mutual societies to work together.

The Building Societies (Funding) & Mutual Societies (Transfers) Act, known as the Butterfill bill, is expected to be passed by Parliament later this year.

Britannia said any merger would be a “merger of strong equals” between organisations that share similar values.

Co-Operative Financial Services (CFS) is part of the Co-Operative Group, the largest consumer co-operative in Britain. It runs the Co-Operative Bank and also has life and general insurance expertise.

Were the two mutual societies to merge, the combined entity would control around £70bn of assets and have some six million customers.

“Both businesses have been pursuing successful strategies and don't need to merge, but we recognise we could be even more successful by coming together and creating the UK's most trusted financial services business,” said Britannia Group chief executive Neville Richardson.

“CFS is in a strong financial position and we are moving forwards with our investment plan to significantly increase our market share in core markets over the next few years,” said CFS’s chief executive, David Anderson.

• News Channel