Spanish banking group Santander has reported a 30 per cent jump in pre-tax profits for its UK arm in the first half of this year.
The bank, which is parent to Alliance and Leicester (A&L), Abbey and the savings unit of Bradford & Bingley, posted pre-tax profits of £790 million, as well as a 20 per cent increase in revenue in the six months to 30 June.
Santander cited its growing range of investments, credit cards and insurance as contributing to the strong results, as well as improvements in the areas of lending and bad debts.
A&L is the UKÔÇÖs second biggest mortgage lender and Bradford & Bingley the countryÔÇÖs second largest savings bank.
Santander is to re-brand all 1,300 of its UK high street brands by the end of next year.
The bank said its lending to small businesses was up 13 per cent on last year, and that its share of the mortgage market was 16 per cent, also an improvement on 2008.
The UK business now accounts for around a third of SantanderÔÇÖs loans.
SantanderÔÇÖs global group profits were Ôé¼4.52 billion (┬ú3.9 billion), up nine per cent on the second half of 2008.
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