Lloyds chief executive Antonio Horta-Osorio By Scott Wright LLOYDS Banking Group shrugged off provisions for bad loans arising from the coronavirus crisis to book a pre-tax profit of £1.3 billion for 2020, but warned the outlook continues to be shrouded by “significant uncertainties”. The Bank of Scotland owner saw profits fall from £4.4bn in 2019 but beat analysts’ expectations as its net impairment charge of £4.2bn, including £128 million in the fourth quarter, relating to the “deteriorating” outlook was lower than previously forecast. It had guided in October that provisions would be in the £4.5bn to £5.5bn range. The lower-than-expected provisions echoed the outcome for 2020 reported by Royal Bank of Scotland owner NatWest Group last week. NatWest’s results included a net impairment charge of £3.2bn, dragging it to an operating loss of £351m, which came after it forecast setting aside between £3.5bn and £4.5bn in October.