EDINBURGH, May 15 (Reuters) - Lloyds Banking Group's Chief Executive Antonio Horta-Osorio said restartingdividend payments for the first time since its 2008/09government bailout would help "restore trust and confidence" inthe group.
Speaking at the bank's annual meeting in Edinburgh,Horta-Osorio said the bank's intention is to ask Britain'sfinancial regulator for permission to begin paying dividendsagain in the second half of the year.
He said dividends would be re-introduced at a "modest" leveland the bank aims to pay out at least 50 percent of its earningsthrough dividends in the medium term. (Reporting by Matt Scuffham; Editing by Steve Slater)