Barclays is a major global financial services provider engaged in retail and commercial banking, credit cards, investment banking, wealth management and investment management services. Company operates in over 60 countries and employs over 78,000 people.

            Red = 25 day moving average.           Green = 200 day moving average.

Even though barc or lloy may not need extra funds to increase the capital requirement, if lloy for example had raised money from a ri, and stated that it was to take advantage opportunities during this downturn and emerge as stronger and leading bank. Imagine where the share price would be now, sentiment would be much stronger.

I can't see why barc or lloy would be involved in mergers with other banks, when they could takeover or cherry pick assets from distressed banks, like lloy have with mortgages from nrk.

Raising surplus capital at this time is not easy especially if it is to be used in a high risk strategy of buying assets which in this market are very difficult to value. Todays good loan can easily turn into a bad debt tomorrow as the economy weakens, banks are quite rightly being cautious in their lending activities as their competitors try to offload the dross.

Barclay downgraded by Casanove as profits down by 33%

Profits can be massaged to suit, particularly downwards. Surely a lot will depend on whether they can maintain the (cash) dividend. They clearly believe so and for the time being I am happy to give them the benefit of the doubt by continuing to hold those I still have. Did not have the courage, however, to take up the recent offer.

WOWWW!!! What a fantastic start.
Closed at 317.25 on Friday and now (8.20am Monday) at 363.25.
Let's hope that we will continue up to, at least, 400 by the end of the week.
Any views on that anyone?

Sorry but I think this is just a short-term fix by the US government. The rescue of Fannie Mae and freddie Mac will only deepen the US Treasury into more negative balance. I would sell and take profit now at 360p.

Yes, I cannot see whats changed.I think this was expected to happen and am a little surprised by the market reaction on this event alone.

Looks like it will ba another good day for BARC.

Does anyone know what's going on with Barclays?? - up about 37p yesterday and now up another 20p today!!

Most of the bigger banks are up today D2, have a look at thishttp://www.moneyam.com/action/news/showArticle?id=3208543

ED: Sorry the link isn't working, I will correct.

OK corrected, have another look.

Tks Stan - sounds great. What is the proposed date for the pre budget report?

Not sure, sometime in October I think.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Lehman Brothers suffered its worst quarterly loss since going public, reporting a loss of nearly $4 billion Wednesday, and announced a series of drastic steps aimed at reviving the beleaguered firm.

Among those changes were plans by the firm to spin-off part of its commercial real estate assets, sell a majority stake of its investment management division and slash its annual dividend

Lehman sale - barclays mentioned as suitor.

http://money.cnn.com/2008/09/11/news/companies/news_lehmwoes.fortune/index.htm?postversion=2008091118

Lehman are looking for a white knight, I read last night that Barclays or HSBC could be in the frame, fortunately for there share holders this seems unlikely with talks underway with Bank of America.

With the Fed acting a possible guarantee, like the deal with Bear Sterns then it must only be an American bank that is in the frame.

Drop of 20p approx. atm not as bad as I expected.

It's dropped more than lloyds though which suits my pairs trade

BARC should buy Lehman for $US1...



UPDATE 1-Barclays says in talks to buy Lehman assets - AFX


LONDON, Sept 16 (Reuters) - British bank Barclays Plc said on Tuesday that it is in talks with Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc regarding a possible acquisition of certain assets.

Barclays said any deal would need to be attractive to its shareholders and no assurances could be made that talks will lead to an agreement.

A deal could be struck as early as Tuesday, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal after Lehman's holding company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Monday having failed to find a buyer over the weekend.

A source told Reuters on Monday the British bank had pulled out of bidding for the whole of Lehman because a deal would have required it to guarantee the investment bank's trading obligations.

Barclays said a further announcement will be made 'in due course'.

"Barclays said any deal would need to be attractive to its shareholders"

There you are then Druid.. what "certain" bits do you fancy? )-:

"Lehman Brothers on Tuesday reached a deal to sell certain parts of its business to Barclays, which had been in talks over the weekend to buy the entire investment bank before it filed for bankruptcy protection on Monday.

The two parties reached a deal in the early New York morning, though the exact Lehman businesses involved, and the price at which they will be sold, remained unclear. A deal could be accompanied by a small capital raising by the UK lender."