PRESS DIGEST - Financial Times =3

RBS CONSORTIUM CLAIMS ABN VICTORY

85 percent of ABN Amro AAH.AS shareholders have accepted the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz)-led consortium's 49 billion pound offer to acquire the Dutch bank. The consortium beat off competition from Barclays (BARC.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), whose chief executive John Varley said: "When I look back on the last months, I feel regret we did not capture ABN Amro. But I do not feel despondency or a sense of dependency." He added "Victory at any price was not something we were prepared to contemplate," and that the bank's growth prospects would not be affected by missing out on ABN.

ALLIANCE & LEICESTER SLIDES AFTER DOWNGRADE

Alliance & Leicester AL.L lost 26 pence to 826 pence after Deutsche Bank analysts issued a sell note on the group, banks analyst John Sheridan saying: "We expect A&L to suffer from declining returns as its retail banking margins remain under pressure, as mortgage competition has shown no sign of abating and its secured credit charges begin to increase." A&L declined comment, though chief executive David Bennett said in a speech this week that it "has always been a relatively low-risk bank."

WH IRELAND IN EARLY APPROACH TALKS

It is thought that Manchester-based stockbroker WH Ireland has taken part in talks about being acquired by Formation Group (FRM.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), a specialist in the provision of financial and professional advice for, among others, football players and media personalities, the news seeing the former add 17.5 pence to 189 pence and the latter gain 2.5 pence to 23.25 pence. Analysts have expressed optimism regarding a potential tie-up - depending on price - believing that both groups could benefit, Arden Partners analyst Jeremy Grime saying: "There could definitely be synergies."

Prepared for Reuters by Durrants