BBC says HBOS and Lloyds deal could be done by Thursday

LONDON (Reuters) - A potential merger deal between Lloyds and mortgage lender HBOS could be finalised as early as Thursday, the BBC reported on Wednesday.

"I suspect that...we will get some kind of an announcement pretty quickly," the BBC's Business Editor Robert Peston said in a report on the merger talks.

"I would imagine that a deal could be concluded...as early as tomorrow. These are very advanced talks".

(Reporting by Kate Kelland)