barclays will ge coming out with trading update on 07.05.2009 It is expected to report profits higher than market expectations.

A good Buy Medium to Long term

Every division has been profitable, with even Barclaycard and the UK retail bank bucking the economic gloom.

The numbers will be flattered by the 6.2bn profit on the sale of Barclays Global Investors, the asset management business bought by BlackRock (NYSE: BLK - news) last year. That sale and Barclays' strong performance through one of the most challenging periods on record will allow it to set aside 8bn in capital to help rebuild its financial strength, bolstering its core tier one ratio to an industry-leading 9.6pc. The amount will also significantly reduce the 17bn of capital that Credit Suisse estimates Barclays needs to find over the next three years to meet new regulatory guidelines.

this chart looks so head and shoulders toppy its hard to believe it wont happen.so maybe it wont . it hasnt yet, the neck line is at 250sh. will it break? i dont know but am watching.
please do be careful.
regards
jkd

Preliminary Results.

- The underlying profits of the Group were very strong. Excluding movement on own credit, gains on acquisitions and disposals and gains on debt buy-backs, Group profit before tax increased 243% to 5,634m from 1,643m

- Group profit before tax was 11,642m, 92% up on 2008. Excluding the 6,331m profit on disposal of Barclays Global Investors (BGI), total Group profit before tax was 5,311m, down 13%

- Retained earnings in 2009 were 9.6bn (2008: 3.2bn)

- The results were driven by very strong income performance and cost containment creating significant positive income:cost jaws and impairment in line with expectations:

- Record income of 30,986m, 34% up on 2008

- Increase in income absorbed higher impairment charges of 8,071m, 49% up on 2008, with a loan loss rate of 156bps (2008: 95bps); or 135bps1 on a basis consistent with our planning assumption of 130-150bps

- Cost:income ratio improved to 58% (2008: 62%), driven by control of underlying costs within GRCB and a reduction in the compensation:income ratio within Barclays Capital to 38% (2008: 44%)

- Total Group 2009 discretionary cash payments of 1.5bn and a further 1.2bn of long term awards, vesting over 3 years and subject to claw back

I believe I am correct in saying div is 1.5p. Ex-divi date 24th Feb '10.

encouraging growth in TBV to 337p, strong start to year for trading also - mirrors comments from CS, DBK on investment banking.

divi not much, but more important is the ongoing capital recovery, so not too bothered. Plenty of time for divis in a couple of years...

upgrades likely, can see stock back towards 330p

Size of derivative exposure on both sides of balance sheet continuing to fall is the most encouraging sign for me, but still a long way to go and I would favour a split out of the investment banking arm.

Partridge,

Where do you obtain the information on Derivatives of BCL and other shares from?

If you have the Web site I would be grateful if you would Cut and paste it.

Fred. I am a tech dinosaur, but I do like looking at numbers. The derivatives figures for assets included in the "Consolidated Summary Balance Sheet" figures reported today showed as 985Billion/417 Billion for end of 2008 and 2009 respectively and for liabilities 968/403Billion respectively. Figures still eye-wateringly large, but they do seem to be getting a grip. Notice they also slipped in a 371M credit for cutting back on defined benefit pension scheme (which basically applies to those not earning Barcap bonuses), but that pension scheme still shows large deficit. Not out of the wood yet imo, but I continue to hold.

Looking good if 3 holds.

Gone ex-divi today, so a slight sp correction not unexpected.

Not in the forward diary, glad I only sold small amount yesterday at 313p.

A bank report I received in my inbox:www.uk-analyst.com

John Varley and Bob Diamond appear to have exercised nil cost options today and subsequently sold some of the shares acquired. Price quoted for Varley at 347.9p but Diamond sold two lots at 715.42p and 733p respectively. Can anyone explain? - I would love to get that price for mine!

partridge suggest you read the RNS released by BARC which fully explains the sp used by their trustees.

I have read it, but don't understand and am willing to be educated. Take the deal where he sold 371,079 shares to satisfy withholding liabilities. One RNS (14.01) says sold at 715.422p, whereas the full RNS (12.10) says that was the award price. Am I misreading the 14.01 RNS or is it just badly written and they mean the exercise price was 715.422p, without disclosing what he sold them for?

suggest you study notes 1-3 at the end of BARC's RNS, do not be confused by the price paid by the trustees to satisfy the terms of the share purchase sheme.

Thank you. Note 2 says the price at which sold to meet withholding liabilities etc is 347.9031p, which makes sense to me, unlike the 14.01 RNS!

RNS usually more reliable than BFN which sometimes is incomplete and as a result inaccurate.

@380 looks fairly key. I sold 75% of mine today, so it should power through with ease :-)

Assuming you are in profit, I would have done the same. Election time coming + possible market correction. Seems to me to be the right move.