Will Lloyds divi rise as boss rides into sunset?

LLOYDS chief Antonio Horta- Osorio will t his week preside over his final set of annual results before leaving the saddle at the Black Horse bank.

The polished Portuguese hands overt oH S BC banker Charlie Nunn later this year after an eventful, well-remunerated decade pockmarked by scandals and branch closures.

Britain’s biggest lender is typically seen as a bellwether for the wider economy so its momentum will be examined closely.

Lloyds surprised the City in October by setting aside less cash than expected to cover bad loans.

But analysts reckon the bank is likely to have become more cautious amid the two subsequent lockdowns.

With bank dividends back on the agenda, a 1p a share payout for 2020 is expected, which could reach 2p but remains well short of the 3.2p divi as recently as 2018.

Maybe Horta-Osorio will give investors a lift with a surprise parting gift.

CHARLIE NUNN’s current shop HSBC will, like Lloyds, post full-year numbers – giving a reflection of the global economy.

Europe’s largest bank has been facing criticism for its actions in Hong Kong and its involvement in the tussle between China and the US over Huawei.

But hopes are high that its investment bank has matched its US rivals’ recent good fortunes.

For its stateside retail bank, there has been chatter that HSBC wants to sell the struggling division. With NatWest now pulling out of Ireland, retrenchment may be the order of the day for Britain’s underpressure bankers.