Shareholders in Lloyds Banking Group have given their seal of approval to plans to avoid signing up to the government's asset purchase scheme (APS).In order to do so, the bank will have to raise more than £20 billion through a rights issue; because of the size of the issuance, traders are expectant of a heavy discount on the company's current share price.The Times reports that the new shares will be offered at 40p, against a current share price of 86p.Details of the rights issuance have assuaged fears that Lloyds may be carved up into smaller banking units, as Northern Rock is expected to be.The breakup of the troubled bank was announced in June and has this month been approved by the European Union. Following the announcement, there was heightened speculation that both Lloyds and RBS would be in line for the chopping block.In terms of foreign exchange trading, the new proposals from Lloyds may help to bolster confidence in the UK financial sector, helping to provide support for sterling.