Lloyds TSB Corporate Markets has launched a new online service which could benefit hundreds of businesses allowing them ‘real time’ access some of the most competitive deposit and foreign exchange rates on the international markets.

Despite the huge advances in on-line corporate banking services in recent years, Lloyds TSB’s own research suggests that one in three businesses which could benefit are still missing out on e-trading opportunities. The bank’s new user friendly online service – called MarketsLink – is designed to encourage more finance departments to use their company’s cash more efficiently and in the process potentially add thousands of pounds to the bottom line each year.

Helen Woolcomb, Head of e-Solutions, Financial Market Sales, Lloyds TSB Corporate Markets said: “Many businesses don’t take advantage of the opportunities presented by foreign exchange and money markets because traditional off-line solutions can be too time intensive and therefore get pushed to the bottom of the priority pile.”

“MarketsLink allows businesses to take personal control over their cash, giving them direct, real-time access to higher yielding money market deposits, loans and foreign exchange markets. It also reduces the administrative pressure and time spent on the phone to dealers through offline alternatives, helping businesses to increase the efficiency of their day-to-day cash management as well as the management of any foreign exchange requirements,” says John Haines, Managing Director, Financial Markets Sales, Lloyds TSB Corporate Markets, London.”

MarketsLink is the first online trading tool from a UK bank to feature the Reuters' Electronic Trading product (v3.3) and Lloyds TSB also becomes the first bank to offer an auto-rollover facility for money market trades on the system. The MarketsLink platform will also allow Lloyds TSB to easily add new products and asset classes to the system giving customers a greater range of choice and opportunity to manage their spare cash profitably.