Nationwide wish

Nationwide wish

NATIONWIDE, the UK's biggest building society, has said it would prefer to merge with a bank or life assurer rather than float if it loses its crunch vote on conversion next month. Its preferred candidates are said to be Lloyds TSB or the Prudential. Nationwide members will vote on whether the builiding society should shed its mutual status and convert to a bank at the annual meeting. Nationwide has said it is confident that its members will vote to stay mutual.