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Financial services provider Barclays has announced that it is in "exclusive preliminary discussions" with the Amsterdam-based bank ABN AMRO.

In a statement the UK bank confirms it has begun talks with ABN AMRO, one of the largest banks in the Netherlands, "concerning a potential combination of the two organisations which will create value for both sets of shareholders".

A merger of Britain's third-biggest bank and ABN AMRO would create a global super-bank with 220,000 staff across the world and 47 million customers worldwide.

"These discussions are the result of careful consideration to create a highly complementary partnership," said the Barclays statement.

It is thought Barclays is interested in ABN AMRO's foothold in Asia. If the Netherlands bank completes the acquisition of Pakistan's Prime bank, the firm will become the second largest bank in the south Asian nation.

However the banks are keen to insist that the talks are at a preliminary stage and do not imply a deal is inevitable. "The talks are at an early and exploratory stage and there can be no certainty that they will lead to a transaction," Barclays said.

Nevertheless, news of the talks has sent the shares of both firms rocketing this morning as Barclays shares increased by 2.3 per cent to 692 pence while ABN AMRO hit a record high of 31.33 euros per share.