NEWS
27th Oct 2016 Q3 2016 Results Announcement
27th Apr 2016 1st Quarter Results
01st Mar 2016 Barclays plc 2015 Full Year Results (PDF 2.1MB)
29th Oct 2015 Q3 2015 Results Presentation (PDF, 500KB)
29th Oct 2015 Q3 2015 Results Announcement (PDF, 1.1MB)
28th Oct 2015 Barclays appoints James E. Staley as Group Chief Executive
29th Jul 2015 2015 Interim Results
08th Jul 2015 BARCLAYS PLC - Change of Leadership


VIDEO/AUDIO

24th May 2016 Barclays CEO Staley on Performance, Economy, Markets

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23rd Feb 2017 Full Year 2016 Results

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Barclays profits fall 25% as costs rise
Laura Noonan in London
April 27, 2016 8:21 am

Barclays is speeding up the sale of some of its French businesses after higher costs caused the bank to miss earnings forecasts for the first quarter.

Pre-tax profits at the UK bank fell by a quarter to £793m, against the £846m expected by analysts. Operating expenses were £3.82bn versus the £3.64bn forecast, while net revenue was marginally ahead, at £5.04bn.

Shares in Barclays rose more than 4 per cent in the opening minutes of trading in London.

“Accelerating the disposal of our non-core unit is the key to creating a simpler, more focused Barclays, and to eliminating the drag on the performance of our strong core business,” said chief executive Jes Staley.

The French businesses employ about 1,000 people and include the bank’s retail, wealth and investment management business but not its corporate and investment bank. The units have been designated “non core” since 2014. Barclays said it is now in exclusive discussions with private equity firm AnaCap Financial Partners over a sale.

AnaCap said it represented the opportunity to acquire an “attractive and established banking operation built on a team of highly talented individuals with exceptional relationships”.

Barclays is also in the process of selling its African business — potentially to a company founded by the bank’s former chief executive Bob Diamond — as well as its Asian wealth business and its Portuguese and Italian retail banks. Mr Staley described the sales as “significant steps forward”, and “tangible evidence” of Barclays’ progress.

But he admitted there was more to do to improve profitability at the investment banking division. “The performance of our corporate and investment bank was relatively resilient in a tough quarter, but there is more we must do to improve returns, and we are focused on management actions to do so,” Mr Staley said.

The corporate and investment bank, where Mr Staley has already speeded up restructuring, suffered a 31 per cent fall in underlying pre-tax profit “primarily driven by a reduction in banking and markets income, increased credit impairment charges and higher operating expenses”, Barclays said.

Chief financial officer Tushar Morzaria said the corporate and investment bank’s income run rate was “slightly down” for April, but it was “too early to make any specific comment” on the second quarter performance.

The top US investment banks also endured a painful first quarter in their markets divisions, with revenues falling by an average of 26 per cent in the fixed income business and 14 per cent in equities. Trading was hit by volatile markets, low oil prices, rising US interest rates and fears for global economic growth.

The six biggest US banks all beat first-quarter earnings expectations but still posted significantly lower earnings for the three months than they did a year earlier.

Mr Staley said that overall his bank had made “good early progress” on the cost cutting and restructuring strategy it announced in March. Pre-tax profit at the “core” bank, which includes its continuing operations, rose 18 per cent in the quarter to £1.6bn.

“We continue to target cost reductions in the group,” he said. “We are on track to meet our 2016 guidance . . . and our longer-term target of a group cost to income ratio under 60 per cent.”

Barclay’s common equity tier 1 ratio — a key capital yardstick — declined slightly, from 11.4 per cent at the end of December to 11.3 per cent at the end of March, although the bank believes it will rebound.

Barclays pre-tax profits fall

StockMarketWire.com

Barclays reports a group pre-tax profit of GBP793m down from GBP1,057m a year ago. It said an 18% increase in core profit before tax to GBP1,608m was more than offset by an increase in non-core loss before tax of GBP815m (Q115: GBP�310m).

Group return on average tangible shareholders' equity (RoTE) of 3.8% (Q115: 4.0%). Core RoTE of 9.9% (Q115: 7.1%)

Group attributable profit decreased 7% to �433m, resulting in a basic earnings per share of 2.7p (Q115: 2.9p). Core attributable profit increased 53% to �950m, resulting in a basic earnings per share contribution of 5.8p (Q115: 3.8p).

Barclays UK delivered a strong underlying RoTE of 20.5% (Q115: 24.0%). Underlying profit before tax decreased 2% to �704m as lower income was partially offset by improved impairment, with underlying total operating expenses remaining broadly in line. Net interest margin remained stable at 3.62% (Q115: 3.60%)

Barclays Corporate & International delivered an underlying RoTE of 9.5% (Q115: 10.9%). Income increased 2% driven by growth in Consumer, Cards and Payments and a resilient income performance in the Corporate and Investment Bank (CIB) despite challenging market conditions

Momentum in the rundown of Non-Core continued, with risk weighted assets (RWAs) decreasing a further �3bn to �51bn in the quarter. The announced sales of the Portuguese and Italian retail, and Asian wealth businesses are all targeted to complete during the year, and are expected to result in a further �3.4bn reduction in RWAs.

Group chief executive James E Staley said: "This quarter we have made good early progress against the strategy update we announced on the 1st of March. It is the first set of results as a transatlantic consumer, corporate and investment bank operating under our new configuration of Barclays UK and Barclays Corporate & International, and they show a Core business performing well in a challenging environment.

"Core RoTE is 9.9%, within which Barclays UK posted an impressive 20.5% return on tangible equity. We can see clear growth opportunities, such as in our Consumer, Cards and Payments business, in which we want to continue to invest. The performance of our Corporate and Investment Bank was relatively resilient in a tough quarter, but there is more we must do to improve returns, and we are focused on management actions to do so.

"We continue to target cost reductions in the Group and we are on track to meet our 2016 guidance for the Core business of �12.8 billion, and our longer-term target of a Group cost to income ratio under 60%.

"Our CET1 ratio finished the quarter at 11.3%, with a clear path to reaching our end state target, and I expect the capital ratio to increase through the course of the rest of 2016.

"On Africa, we continue to explore opportunities to reduce our shareholding to a level that achieves regulatory deconsolidation, including capital market and strategic options, and we are pleased with the level of indicative interest in what is a high quality business. Barclays Africa is an important partner, and we are working closely with local management, including on the planning for the operational separation of the two businesses, in a way that will preserve value for shareholders in both Groups.

"The performance of the Core today shows the potential power of the Group once it is freed from the drag of Non-Core.

"We promised to accelerate the pace of progress in reducing Non-Core so that our Group performance converges with our Core performance within a reasonable timeframe. Since the 1st of January, we have made progress in exiting from Investment Banking in nine countries, completed the sale of our Portuguese retail, wealth and SME banking businesses, and are progressing other announced sales, including the Italian branch network, the Index business and our Asian wealth business, towards completion in 2016.

"As these deals complete we are reducing RWAs and, crucially, eliminating costs which have a direct impact on our profitability today and mask the true performance of our strong Core business. This is the work we need to complete."

http://www.moneyam.com/action/news/showArticle?id=5329416

Acceleration of Barclays Non-Core rundown continues
27 Apr 2016 07:05

Acceleration of Barclays Non-Core rundown continues

Barclays announces exclusive discussions for potential sale of French retail, and wealth and investment management business

Barclays has today announced that it has entered into exclusive discussions with AnaCap Financial Partners for the potential sale of its French Retail Banking operations including its network of 74 branches, life insurance business, and wealth and investment management operations. Any potential transaction is subject to a mandatory consultation period.

These discussions do not include Barclays’ corporate and investment banking businesses in France. Barclays will continue to operate corporate and investment banking in France.

Commenting on the agreement, Jes Staley, Barclays Group Chief Executive, said: “Accelerating the disposal of our Non-Core unit is the key to creating a simpler, more focused Barclays, and to eliminating the drag on the performance of our strong Core business. Today’s announcement, together with the sale of our Asia Wealth operations announced earlier this month, represent significant steps forward, and are tangible evidence of the progress we continue to make.

“Barclays’ French retail and wealth and investment management business is attractive, but no longer fits with our strategic ambitions. With its committed staff and strong customer and client relationships, it is well-placed to thrive under new ownership.

“This transaction, once completed, would effectively finish our exit from Continental European branch-based retail banking.”

28 April 2016
BARCLAYS PLC

AGM STATEMENTS

Chairman's 2016 AGM Statement

Good morning and welcome to Barclays' 2016 Annual General Meeting. This year sees Barclays 326th year, and my first as your chairman.

Today we are having two separate meetings - our Annual General Meeting, and to follow immediately, a General Meeting, to approve the sell down of our investment in Barclays Africa Group to a minority position and deconsolidated from an accounting perspective.

Full details from link below:

http://www.moneyam.com/action/news/showArticle?id=5330975

Barclays targets 'clean and prosperous' 2018 as overhaul continues
By Sinead Cruise

Barclays Chairman John McFarlane (BARC.L) has pledged to deliver a "clean and prosperous" 2018 to investors, putting a deadline on a vast programme of restructuring and asset sales that will see staffing numbers fall by 50,000.

Speaking at the bank's annual general meeting (AGM) in London on Thursday, McFarlane thanked investors for their patience while Barclays runs down businesses it no longer sees as capable of generating appropriate returns, against a backdrop of rising regulatory costs and poor economic conditions.

Following these disposals, which include the sell-down of its 62 percent stake in Barclays Africa, McFarlane said the bank expected group full-time employees to reduce by around 50,000 people, resulting in a total headcount of 80,000 - almost half the staff employed at its peak.

The cost savings achieved from these cuts and the refocusing of the business would enable the bank to reintroduce a "respectable dividend level" and transform Barclays into a "significantly smaller, safer" bank, McFarlane said.

"For the past few years, we have produced either negligible retained profits or losses before dividends. Going forward we need to reverse this and generate superior returns out of our franchise," McFarlane said, in his first AGM statement as chairman.

"However it is worth remembering that we are in the process of turning around what was recently the largest bank in the world by assets," he added.

Chief Executive Jes Staley also took time to explain a decision to sacrifice part of the dividend to fund the revamp, but said the short-term pain was necessary to put Barclays in a position to grow payouts over time.

"Investing substantially in this company was one of the first things I did upon being appointed - and my interests are firmly aligned with yours," he said.

"However, I believe it is better to move quickly and decisively to eliminate the drag in this business now than to accept high levels of attrition on your returns for a much longer time than is necessary."

Staley also said the bank was working hard to relieve the pressure on returns from fines for past conduct failings and was seeking to resolve outstanding issues "as swiftly as possible".

"There will also be no let-up in the critically important work to transform Barclays' culture," he said.


(Editing by Mark Potter)

Barclays announces further Non-Core disposal - Agreement to sell its Barclaycard business in Spain and Portugal
28 Apr 2016 10:18

Barclays Bank PLC (“Barclays”) today announces that it has agreed to sell its Barclaycard consumer payments business in Portugal and Spain to Bancopopular-e, a Spanish online bank 51% owned by Varde Partners and 49% owned by Banco Popular Espanol, S.A.

While the Barclaycard business in Portugal and Spain is an attractive and strong business it does not fit with Barclays’ strategy to focus on scale businesses in core territories going forward and therefore became part of Barclays Non-Core in March 2016.

The business comprises approximately £1.0bn of assets. It is being sold at a small premium to gross receivables and its sale will also result in a reduction in Non-Core costs. It is estimated that the transaction will result in a decrease in Risk Weighted Assets of approximately £0.9bn. Customers and employees will also transfer to Bancopopular-e. Completion, which is subject to regulatory approvals, is expected to occur by the end of the year.

The transaction has no impact on Barclays’ existing corporate and investment banking businesses in Spain and Portugal, which continue to be important elements within the Group’s franchise.

Jes Staley, Group Chief Executive, Barclays, said:

“I am delighted by the speed with which we are continuing to reduce our Non-Core exposure and costs. Our credit card operation in Spain and Portugal is a very good business with a highly talented and dedicated workforce but no longer fits with our strategic ambitions. I am sure it will continue to thrive as part of the Bancopopular-e business.

“Agreeing the sale of this business is further tangible progress towards our target of managing down Risk Weighted Assets in Barclays Non-Core to around £20bn in 2017.”

15:45 Barclays PLC (BARC) Result of AGM

http://www.moneyam.com/action/news/showArticle?id=5331195

PLACING OF 103.6 MILLION ORDINARY SHARES IN BARCLAYS AFRICA GROUP LIMITED ("BARCLAYS AFRICA")

5 May 2016

http://www.moneyam.com/action/news/showArticle?id=5335256

Barclays launches its own contactless payments service for Android phones
12 May 2016 09:00

•Barclays is introducing a new service which will enable customers to use their compatible Android phone to make contactless payments

•Set-up is very quick and easy within the Barclays Mobile Banking app - eligible Barclays debit and credit cards appear automatically in the app and there is no need to enter card details

Barclays today announced it will be rolling out its own contactless payment service which will allow Barclays customers with an eligible NFC-enabled Android phone to pay quickly and easily at any of the 400,000 contactless locations in the UK and across the London transport network.

‘Contactless Mobile’ builds upon the functionality launched to Barclaycard customers earlier this year and sees Barclays become the first UK bank to offer its own, integrated service enabling contactless payments for both debit cards and credit cards on Android phones.

Contactless card payments have seen huge growth as consumers have recognised the ease, speed and convenience they offer. Incorporating Contactless Mobile into the Barclays Mobile Banking app is a natural extension for customers and will mean Barclays can offer contactless payments via a smartphone for both credit and debit card holders across the broadest range of handsets and operating systems.

Contactless Mobile enables customers to pay with their Android mobile device in a very similar way to using a physical contactless card. For payments of up to £30, customers simply tap their mobile device on the retailer terminal in the same way they would tap a physical card without needing to open an app, enter a PIN or verify with a fingerprint, making it quicker and simpler than other solutions. The service also allows contactless payments of between £30 and £100 by a tap of the mobile device, entering of the card’s normal PIN on the phone keypad, and tapping again.

The service is set up and managed within the Barclays Mobile Banking app, a convenient and familiar place for customers to manage their money which is used by 5 million Barclays customers who on average access the app 27 times per month. Set up is quick and easy as eligible Barclays debit cards and Barclaycard credit cards are automatically shown in the app meaning there is no need to enter card details. Integrating Contactless Mobile within the Barclays Mobile Banking app also means customers can view their Contactless Mobile transactions alongside their other account transactions in one familiar environment.

Contactless Mobile will be available in June. Once live, roll out to customers will be phased over a number of days and customers will be contacted by Barclays when the service becomes available.

Today’s announcement and other recent launches mean that Barclays and Barclaycard continue to offer the widest range of payment innovations designed to give customers unrivalled choice of paying for everyday goods and services, and sending and receiving money in a way that’s most convenient for them.


Ashok Vaswani, CEO of Barclays UK, said: “Giving customers the choice about how to make everyday payments while making it really easy for people to use our services is why we’ve designed this new contactless payment functionality which will sit at the heart of our already popular mobile banking app. It’s all there, in one place, ready to go with no need to enter card details, delivering a brilliant experience in an instant.

“Barclays Contactless Mobile is the latest in a series of digital innovations we have launched that allow customers to ‘Pay it your way!’ - carrying out day to day transactions in the ways that suit them and we hope that it will help customers become more confident using digital solutions and new technologies.”

Barclays Non-Core rundown continues
16 May 2016 09:41

Barclays announces the sale of its precious metals storage business in the UK, including its vaulting facility and, subject to counterparty consent, the transfer of the associated client and operational contracts to ICBC Standard Bank.

The vault has capacity to hold 2,000 tonnes of gold and has been operational since 2012. Barclays announced its intended exit from precious metals in January 2016 and moved the business into Barclays Non-Core.

Neither party will be disclosing the financial terms of the deal.

Commenting on the sale, John Mahon, Co-Head of Barclays Non-Core, said: “This sale represents further progress with our Non-Core rundown as we work to simplify Barclays’ operations and achieve our cost and capital reduction commitments.”

Barclays CEO Staley on Performance, Economy, Markets
1:37 PM BST
May 24, 2016

Barclays CEO Jes Staley discusses the bank's performance, risk of Brexit and the economy. He speaks with Bloomberg's Francine Lacqua on "Bloomberg Surveillance." (Source: Bloomberg)

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2016-05-24/barclays-ceo-staley-on-performance-economy-markets

Accelerated rundown of Barclays Non-Core continues
01 Jun 2016 14:34

Barclays Bank PLC (“Barclays”) has today completed the sale of its insurance business in Italy to CNP Assurances.

37,000 customers and c.€700 million of Assets under Management will transfer to the purchaser as part of the deal in Italy. The sale also represents an annualised cost reduction of c.€5 million. Neither party will be disclosing further financial terms of the deal.

Barclays Vida y Pensiones Compañía de Seguros (BVP) was set up in 2009 to provide life insurance and pension products in Spain, Italy and Portugal. BVP has already sold its Portuguese insurance business to Bankinter Seguros de Vida, completed in April 2016.

Barclays also announced the proposed sale of its Italian retail bank to Chebanca! in December 2015. Barclays will continue to operate investment banking and corporate banking in Italy, and manage the remaining retail mortgage portfolio.

Commenting on the sale, Harry Harrison, Co-Head of Barclays Non-Core, said: “We continue to accelerate the rundown of Barclays Non-Core. As we sell these businesses, reducing cost, operational risk and capital allocation, we are revealing the underlying strength of the core business.”

Barclays: Can Jes do it?
Mark Baker
Published on: June 2016

Six months ago, Jes Staley took on a job that many of his peers said they did not envy. His task: to turn Barclays’ business performance around and create a clear strategic vision for a bank that had not adapted to a new regulatory and market environment. Work remains to be done, not least in agreeing a ring-fenced structure and improving returns at the investment bank. But the mood at Barclays appears to be brightening.



In 189 words, Barclays CEO Jes Staley can tell you his strategy. He has done just that in a video for staff. To communicate it, he gives an elevator pitch – and not from just any elevator. This one starts at Barclays’ London headquarters at One Churchill Place. When Staley gets out of it, he is standing at Barclays in New York, 745 7th Avenue.

Full Article From Link Below

http://www.euromoney.com/Article/3559073/Barclays-Can-Jes-do-it.html?single=true

Barclays announces fund for SMEs and entrepreneurs in Scotland
09 Jun 2016 09:00

Barclays has earmarked further capital to support small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in Scotland.

The bank is announcing a new £500m fund which has been introduced to address gaps in the current supply of finance for businesses in Scotland. It reflects Barclays’ commitment, in line with local government and economic strategy, to create a supportive environment for Scottish enterprise to grow.

Barclays currently looks after a high proportion of Scotland’s top 250 businesses, but has ambitious expansion plans to grow its presence across the board which includes small and medium businesses. To date, Barclays has provided over £500m to help Scottish SMEs obtain the necessary funding to grow their businesses with the new fund representing a commitment to double its support for businesses in Scotland.

With a strong team of accredited Relationship Directors, Agriculture & Real Estate specialists and High Growth Relationship Directors on the ground, the bank is expertly placed to help Scotland’s businesses regardless of size - from start-up stage, to scale up, and on to IPO.

Jamie Grant, Head of Business and Corporate Banking for Barclays Scotland said: “We believe we are equipped to help even more businesses realise their ambitions. We have a strong history of building relationships with many of the country’s leading companies while our global reach means we have the knowledge and expertise to help Scotland’s businesses compete on a world stage.

“We are committed to pioneering in digital, having been the first bank to launch Pingit, pre-assessed lending and, coming soon, our SmartBusiness service. Our newly launched high growth team means we can help the next generation of innovators and we want to be the bank of choice for anyone starting or growing their business.”

As part of this extended focus the bank recently delivered a £12m funding package to Ayrshire-based Lorimer Care Homes which enabled the business to acquire an additional three sites to its portfolio.

Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Keith Brown said: “This is positive news and will be a real boost for Scotland’s SMEs, which are the lifeblood of our economy. We know it is crucial that viable SMEs are able to access a range of finance to start-up and grow their business, and I hope many businesses can benefit from today’s announcement from Barclays. Scotland is already a great place to do business, but the Scottish Government is determined to maintain a strongly competitive business environment, and ensure the conditions are right for SMEs to flourish. That will help stimulate economic growth and create and protect jobs across Scotland.”

The pledge follows Barclays’ latest commitment to support fast growing companies- Barclays High Growth & Entrepreneurs, which includes two direct funds for innovative companies: Innovation Finance and a venture debt fund.

Lena Wilson, Chief Executive, Scottish Enterprise said: “This investment by Barclays is fantastic news for SMEs across Scotland. Access to funding is absolutely critical to enabling SME’s to thrive at home and around the world, supporting them to invest in innovation, workforce development, and international activity. We will continue to work closely with Barclays and our partners to support company growth.”

Accelerated rundown of Barclays Non-Core continues
10 Jun 2016 11:38

Barclays Bank PLC has today completed the sale and transfer of its Spanish pension assets and liabilities to Vidacaixa, S.A.U. de Seguros y Reaseguros, a member of the Caixa Group.

35,000 customers and c.€350 million of Assets under Management will transfer to the purchaser as part of the agreement. The sale also represents further progress against Barclays cost and RWA reduction targets. Neither party will be disclosing further financial terms of the deal.

Barclays Vida y Pensiones Compañía de Seguros (BVP) provides life insurance and pension products in Spain, Italy and Portugal. BVP has already sold its Portuguese insurance business to Bankinter Seguros de Vida, completed in April 2016, and its Italian life insurance business to CNP Assurances, announced earlier this month.

Barclays completed the sale of its Spanish retail bank to CaixaBank S.A. in January 2015, and announced the proposed sale of its Barclaycard consumer payments business in Spain and Portugal to Bancopopular-e in April 2016. Barclays continues to operate global corporate and investment banking in Spain.

Commenting on the sale, Harry Harrison, Co-Head of Barclays Non-Core, said: “This is another positive step in reducing the cost, operational risk and capital allocation within Barclays Non-Core, swiftly following the sale of our Italian insurance business last week. We are making good progress and continue to focus on our target of reducing RWAs in Barclays Non-Core to £20 billion by the end of 2017.”

About Barclays

Barclays is a transatlantic consumer, corporate and investment bank offering products and services across personal, corporate and investment banking, credit cards and wealth management, with a strong presence in our two home markets of the UK and the US.

With over 325 years of history and expertise in banking, Barclays operates in over 40 countries and employs approximately 130,000 people. Barclays moves, lends, invests and protects money for customers and clients worldwide.

Get Financially Fit With Barclays Financial Wings
21 Jun 2016 11:46

Barclays has today launched Financial Wings, an online personal finance hub designed to give people the knowledge and confidence to take control of their money and build the skills required to bolster their financial health.

Research carried out by Barclays showed that only 44 percent of customers felt knowledgeable about financial issues, with as many as 20 percent openly admitting to finding the topic overwhelming and confusing.

Financial Wings is available to everyone and looks at the three key areas of finances: getting your finances started, achieving your financial goals and addressing money worries.

• Getting your finances started is designed to help people organise their money and planning their finances, e.g. whether what type of bank account best suits them, how to pay bills and how to understand their bank statement

• Achieving your financial goals is designed to help people look at how they can save and/or borrowing money, e.g. put money away for a rainy day or take out a mortgage

• Addressing money worries is designed to help make people in financial difficulty aware of the solutions that can help them pay down their debts and get back on track, e.g. debt management plans

The website employs gamification to help users engage with the information. Having completed the sections that they feel are relevant to their circumstances, users can test their knowledge and earn points in a series of games.

Clare Francis, Savings and Investing Expert at Barclays said:
“Financial Wings was created to empower people and give them the confidence to make better financial decisions. Every day we hear from customers who want to understand how to make the most of their money but find managing their finances a complex and daunting task. With Financial Wings we want to remove any fear or confusion by providing essential information in manageable chunks.

“For many of us the best way to learn is by doing, which is why we have included gaming elements within the website. We are committed to ensuring the nation is financially fit and believe that Financial Wings will help many to achieve this.”

Barclays partnered with consumer bodies including The Money Advice Trust, Which? and StepChange to develop content for Financial Wings.

Speaking about the launch of Barclays’ Financial Wings initiative David Haigh, director of financial capability at the Money Advice Service, said*:
“We welcome today’s launch of Barclays’ Financial Wings initiative. Equipping people with the knowledge, skills and confidence to manage their money well is vital to improving the stubbornly low levels of financial capability across the UK.”

UK votes to leave the European Union
24 Jun 2016



Barclays Group Chief Executive Officer Jes Staley said: ‘The United Kingdom has voted to leave the European Union. This is a significant decision and there will be many questions asked in the coming days and weeks about what happens next. The answers are complex but our position is not: we will not break our stride in delivering the Barclays of the future.

‘Barclays has stood in service of our customers and clients for over 325 years. We have been here for them through equally profound changes before. And no matter what has been laid before us, we have been here to help them achieve their ambitions.

‘That does not change today. And through the uncertainty of the months ahead, be in no doubt that we are ready to do whatever it takes to uphold that promise.

‘The strategy we announced on 1 March was not conditional on the UK remaining in the EU. We are a transatlantic consumer, corporate and investment bank, anchored in the UK and the US. That remains the core of our strength and the Barclays of the future.’


a) What has Barclays done to prepare for a leave vote?

As you would expect, Barclays has put in place detailed plans for the eventuality that the UK referendum resulted in a vote to leave the European Union.

Barclays is prepared for any short-term volatility in the markets.

Barclays is a transatlantic consumer, corporate and investment bank, anchored in our two home markets of the UK and the US.

We have a strong business with a well-managed balance sheet and we are prepared for a number of potential scenarios.

b) What impact do you expect the leave vote to have on Barclays and its financial outlook?

Barclays is a stable and well capitalised international franchise with earnings diversification by geography and product mix.

While we expect potentially significant short-term volatility in the markets, we are well prepared for a number of eventualities.

c) Will there be any changes to Barclays' strategy, particularly the status as a ‘transatlantic’ bank?

The strategy remains the same – Barclays is a transatlantic consumer, corporate and investment bank, anchored in our two home markets in the leading financial centres of the world, the UK and the US.

We are confident that our current strategy will deliver a well-balanced and successful business that generates long-term sustainable returns.

As you would expect, we will continue to monitor the situation and respond as appropriate to any changes in our operating environment, while focusing on the immediate needs of our clients.

BARCLAYS KEEPS LENDING TAPS ON AFTER REFERENDUM RESULT
01 Jul 2016 09:00

Following the EU referendum result Barclays has announced it will continue its high levels of SME lending to UK businesses.

Under the announcement Barclays is:

Reaffirming that Barclays is well positioned to meet demand from SMEs for lending

•Maintaining its aim to beat last year’s strong record of £5.4bn in SME lending
•Confirming the bank has no plans to withdraw or increase the competitive rates it offers due to current economic uncertainty
•Committing to the 300,000 UK SMEs currently eligible for an instant overdraft or loan that they will continue to have access to these funds instantly in branch, by phone or online should they need it. Barclays will also continue to grow this market leading proposition.
•Providing additional business managers in our call centres who are on hand to support and guide SMEs on how to plan for uncertain times
•Boosting its specific funding for industries with high exposure to economic change including the technology and agriculture sectors, with further details to be announced in the coming days

Ian Rand, Chief Executive of Business Banking, Barclays, said: “Following the referendum many businesses will be reassessing their plans for growth and may need to re-plan or increase the resilience of their finances. It’s in times like these when strong banks should stand tall and help ensure the stability in our economy by continuing our commitment to lend. SMEs should know that even if their outlook is looking less clear, their bank is on their side and will support them through thick and thin.”

Barclays announces £100mn fund to boost UK Agriculture
05 Jul 2016 09:00

•Barclays ramps up support for UK agriculture with dedicated loan fund of £100mn* to boost industry

•Fund dedicated for farmers to invest in business efficiency, agri-tech and/or diversify into new revenue streams

•Support aids sector in time of market volatility and long term low prices that have put strain on the industry

Barclays is making £100mn available in loans to boost the UK agriculture sector, to help future-proof the industry for the next generation, improve efficiency and create additional revenue streams to limit effects of market volatility.

The multi-million pound fund will be available for farmers looking to modernise their infrastructure, helping to streamline their farming processes and increase efficiency. It will also assist farmers looking to reduce their farm’s exposure to market volatility by providing funds to invest in viable diversification projects either within agriculture or from non-agriculture sources.

The fund is in in addition to the ongoing support that Barclays offers to the sector. Loans from the fund have fixed fees starting at 0.6% for a loan term of 0-5 years, 0.75% for loans that are 6-10 years and rising to 0.90% for loan terms of 11-15 years.

Mark Suthern, Head of Agriculture at Barclays, said: “We are committed to supporting British farming and we are dedicating £100mn in lending solely for use within the farming industry to help boost the industry’s profitability and efficiency. This fund will provide essential investment; the fund will also make it easier for farmers to find alternate sources of income, decreasing the impact of price volatility on farm incomes.”

The fund comes at a time when the UK agriculture sector faces a number of challenges that have placed increasing pressure on farmers. From concerns about commodity prices, which have remained steadfastly low, to poor weather impacting output, adding further pressures to the industry.

Oliver McEntyre, National Agricultural Strategy Director at Barclays, added: “After the turbulent times of the last few years, many farm businesses have found ways to improve efficiency, this fund is released to assist the progression of this – it is not about increasing production, it is about helping our customers access the finance to invest in producing the same quality and quantity of product for less cost, or finding solid alternative income streams.”

Barclays supports over 20,000 UK farmers and, with a team of over 120 Agriculture Managers across the UK, has one of the biggest Agriculture banking team’s in the UK making it Britain’s leading agricultural bank.

ONS Retail stats: Barclays' comment
21 Jul 2016 10:00

http://www.ons.gov.uk/businessindustryandtrade/retailindustry/bulletins/retailsales/june2016

Commenting on today’s ONS Retail Sales figures, Ian Gilmartin, Head of Retail & Wholesale at Barclays, said:

“Although they missed economists’ expectations, the retail figures were better than many in the industry expected in June. There’s been a lot of focus on the impact the run-up to the EU referendum had on purchases. It may have had some influence on big ticket items, but I think this result shows that it’s important not to overplay the significance of the lead up to the vote on consumers’ buying decisions. We were also in full referendum mode in May, and yet managed to post a bumper set of results.

Despite the weather again letting us down in June, which really hurt footfall and meant that some summer lines continued to struggle, the industry held its own supported by more online growth. Footfall was further challenged by events like the Euro championship taking people off the high street so to deliver 4.3% year-on-year volume growth, accompanied by an increase in spend is impressive and retailers deserve credit for posting these numbers.

Looking at the last part of the month, after the referendum result was known, it’s too early to say what the impact on sales has been. The movement in the value of the pound will certainly have had a major effect on retailers’ short and longer term planning. We need to look carefully at the data over the next few months and make sure that the industry is adapting appropriately as we get more clarity on what the public’s decision means for the retail sector.”