A woman is pictured at a cash machine ou

A woman is pictured at a cash machine outside a Halifax Bank of Scotland branch in London, on October 1, 2008. Lloyds TSB has agreed to buy HBOS in a deal worth 9.8 billion pounds (12.3 billion euros, 17.7 billion dollars) with the support of Britain's government, which has been forced to nationalise the banks Northern Rock and Bradford and Bingley since the credit crunch erupted a year ago. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown voiced confidence Tuesday that the merger between HBOS and Lloyds TSB will be finalised, after HBOS shares dived on reports there was a snag. AFP PHOTO/Shaun Curry (Photo credit should read SHAUN CURRY/AFP via Getty Images)