Friends confident on Resolution merger

Friends Provident says it is confident the £8.6bn merger with rival insurer Resolution will go throu...

Friends Provident says it is confident the £8.6bn merger with rival insurer Resolution will go through. However, the group said it was not under any pressure to find another partner should the deal fall through. Friends Chief Executive Philip Moore said: "There is no for sale sign up. "In the unlikely event of this merger not happening, if another proposition comes along that adds equal value to shareholders it would be our pleasure to present it to them. "But in the event of that not coming along and this deal not happening, we have a perfectly viable independent future."