Lloyds Share News (LLOY)

Banking stocks were the highest risers on Thursday as markets reacted positively to a number of central-bank policy decisions across the globe.The Bank of England, European Central Bank (ECB) and Bank of Japan all decided to keep monetary policy on hold over the last 24 hours. A close eye was kept on comments from ECB President Mario Draghi in particular with stocks extending gains after he reinforced a dovish tone and revised Eurozone growth estimates higher."European equities are enjoying the continued central-bank activism of low interest rates environment sticking around for the foreseeable future," said Market Strategist Ishaq Siddiqi from ETX Capital.Banking peers Lloyds, RBS, Standard Chartered, Barclays and HSBC were among the best performers in London with cyclical sectors - ones that have a positive correlation to an improved economic outlook - in demand.According to an article on Bloomberg this afternoon, the UK Treasury's sale of shares in Lloyds - which it was thought might come as soon as this month - may be deferred due to the situation in Syria and given the prospects for reduced stimulus in the US.People close to the matter said that the Treasury is reluctant to go ahead with the disposal of up to £5bn of shares until tensions in the Middle East calm down, given the heightened speculation that the US could launch military action against Bashar al-Assad's regime.Lloyds' impressive 55% share-price rise so far this year has pushed the stock well above the government's target at which it would break even on a stake sale (around 61p). However, sources told Bloomberg that the Treasury did "doesn't want to leave investors who buy Lloyds shares with later losses because that would jeopardise any subsequent offerings of its stock in Lloyds and Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc".Top performing sectors so far todayBanks 4,994.64 +2.05%Mobile Telecommunications 4,925.33 +1.92%General Retailers 2,683.74 +1.80%Technology Hardware & Equipment 1,061.91 +1.68%Automobiles & Parts 8,005.54 +1.45%Bottom performing sectors so far todayPharmaceuticals & Biotechnology 11,142.21 -0.66%Health Care Equipment & Services 4,305.63 -0.62%Food Producers & Processors 6,731.43 -0.53%Beverages 14,319.51 -0.41%Oil & Gas Producers 7,812.20 -0.34%BC