Britain's biggest lenders await Bank of England's verdict on health checks

Bank's stress test results will determine whether seven institutions should be forced to hold capital in order to rein in risky lending

Britain's biggest lenders are braced for a decision by the Bank of England on whether they are strong enough to withstand turmoil in global markets, as Threadneedle Street considers restrictions on their activities to slow down the growth in consumer lending.

The results of the annual health check on six banks - Barclays, HSBC, Santander UK, Standard Chartered, Lloyds Banking Group and Royal Bank of Scotland - and Nationwide building society are released on Tuesday and will determine whether the institutions need to tap investors for cash or take other steps to bolster their financial strength.

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