LONDON, Sept 9 (Reuters) - A trade or financial buyer couldstill emerge to buy 631 banks being sold by Lloyds Banking Group which were re-branded as TSB on Monday ahead of aplanned stock market flotation, the head of the new businesssaid.
Lloyds was ordered to sell the branches by Europeanregulators as a penalty for receiving a 45.5 billion pound($71.1 billion) government bailout in the 2008 financial crisis.It plans to run the business on a standalone basis ahead of anIPO in summer 2014 but TSB's new boss Paul Pester said thatcould change.
"It's absolutely possible that someone may come in and saythis is a fantastic business we'll make you an offer for it.That's something we can leave Lloyds to deal with," Pester toldreporters at the launch of the new business in central London.