ABN Amro, the Dutch bank at the centre of a takeover battle between Barclays and Royal Bank of Scotland, has sold out of its joint venture with Mellon Financial in the latest sign that it is tidying up its house before the sale.

The Dutch bank said today it is selling its 50% share in ABN Amro Mellon Global Securities Services, an asset servicing joint venture set up in 1998, to its US partner.