Lloyds profits amid job cuts

BANKING giants Lloyds yesterday announced a 23 per cent leap in profits, a week after unleashing another 1200 job cuts.

The taxpayer-saved lenders made £1.6billion in the first three months of this year alone.

Yet while the bank raked it in, workers were still reeling from the recent announcement to axe another 49 branches.

Bosses claim the bulk of the staff at risk can apply for 925 new jobs being created.

Federation of Small Businesses chairman Mike Cherry said: “Lloyds should reconsider their aggressive branch closure programme. The public were there for the bank during the financial crash. It’s high time that support was returned.” Euro .................................................... 1.114 Australian Dollar ........................... 1.787 Bulgarian Lev ............................... 2.078 Canadian Dollar ............................. 1.735 Croatian Kuna ............................... 7.984 Czech Koruna ............................... 27.219 Egyptian Pound .......................... 21.454 New Zealand Dollar ..................... 1.897 Polish Zloty .................................... 4.461 South African Rand ................... 16.623 Swiss Franc .................................... 1.328 Thai Baht ...................................... 41.438 Turkish Lira ................................... 5.366 UAE Dirham ................................... 4.928 US Dollar .......................................... 1.361