Pre-tax profit at Barclays climbed to almost USD5 billion during the opening six months of the year.
The bank announced a figure of USD4.98 billion for the first half of 2009, an 8% increase on the amount recorded in the same period of 2008.
Income rose 37% to USD27.2 billion, with Barclays’ investment management and banking division recording a 44% increase in pre-tax profit.
However, performance of its retail banking division was weaker, with this area of the business seeing profits fall by more than half to USD448 million.
Chief executive John Varley said that Barclays has benefited from a “diversified business base” in what have been “challenging market conditions”.
“Our goal for 2009 is very clear: we seek to deliver another year of solid profitability. Our first half performance is a good start to this.”
L.D.