[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 241 (Friday, December 16, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 74816]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-7440]



[[Page 74816]]

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FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM


Notice of Proposals to Engage in Permissible Nonbanking 
Activities or to Acquire Companies that are Engaged in Permissible 
Nonbanking Activities

    The companies listed in this notice have given notice under section 
4 of the Bank Holding Company Act (12 U.S.C. 1843) (BHC Act) and 
Regulation Y (12 CFR Part 225) to engage de novo, or to acquire or 
control voting securities or assets of a company, including the 
companies listed below, that engages either directly or through a 
subsidiary or other company, in a nonbanking activity that is listed in 
Sec.  225.28 of Regulation Y (12 CFR 225.28) or that the Board has 
determined by Order to be closely related to banking and permissible 
for bank holding companies. Unless otherwise noted, these activities 
will be conducted throughout the United States.
    Each notice is available for inspection at the Federal Reserve Bank 
indicated. The notice also will be available for inspection at the 
offices of the Board of Governors. Interested persons may express their 
views in writing on the question whether the proposal complies with the 
standards of section 4 of the BHC Act. Additional information on all 
bank holding companies may be obtained from the National Information 
Center website at www.ffiec.gov/nic/.
    Unless otherwise noted, comments regarding the applications must be 
received at the Reserve Bank indicated or the offices of the Board of 
Governors not later than January 12, 2006.
    A. Federal Reserve Bank of New York (Jay Bernstein, Bank 
Supervision Officer) 33 Liberty Street, New York, New York 10045-0001:
    1. Banco Santander Central Hispano, S.A., Madrid, Spain; to acquire 
24.99 percent of the voting shares of Sovereign Bancorp, Inc., 
Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, and thereby indirectly acquire voting shares 
of Sovereign Bank, Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, and Independence Community 
Bank, Brooklyn, New York, and engage in operating savings associations, 
pursuant to section 225.28(b)(4)(ii) of Regulation Y.

    Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, December 13, 
2005.
Robert deV. Frierson,
Deputy Secretary of the Board.
[FR Doc. E5-7440 Filed 12-15-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6210-01-S