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The article reports that Barclays PLC is considering the sale of its Barclays Global Investors (BGI) unit. BlackRock Inc. and Bank of New York Mellon are among parties said to be interested in buying BGI, which could sell for more than $12 billion. A sale of BGI would help strengthen Barclays' financial posture.

The article discusses a challenge facing chief executive John Varley and chairman Marcus Agius of Barclays PLC. Shareholders have voiced discontent related to their pursuit of capital from investors in Abu Dhabi and Qatar. Both men could be vulnerable in an April 23, 2009 election for the firm's entire board of directors.

The article discusses a plan by Barclays PLC to raise over $10 billion in private capital. Shareholders will consider the measure on November 24, 2008. Objections exist among some that terms being offered to investors from Qatar and Abu Dhabi are too generous. Businesswoman Amanda Staveley and Diana Jenkins, wife of a Barclays executive, have played important roles in establishing connections between Barclays and the Middle Eastern investors.

The article discusses an $8 billion cash transfer made by Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. from its London office to New York just prior to its bankruptcy filing. Questions have arisen concerning the transfer's propriety, as some wonder whether Lehman transferred the cash in an effort to make its New York operations more attractive to potential bidders. Barclays PLC ended up buying some of Lehman's New York assets.

The article reports that Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. is trying to sell itself. Potential buyers include Bank of America Corp. and Barclays PLC. It is believed that any purchaser would want guarantees concerning loss protection from the U.S. government similar to those received by J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. when it bought out Bear Stearns Cos. No deal for Lehman appears imminent.

The article reports on the bank buyout of ABN Amro Holding NV by either Barclays PLC or a consortium led by Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC. Although the merger was first agreed to by Barclays, bank analysts feel Barclay's offer is no longer feasible. The buyout negotiations have been going on for over six months and the Royal Bank of Scotland has bid almost $99 billion for the Dutch bank.

The article focuses on the decision of Barclays PLC to ask for financial assistance from China Development Bank and Singapore's Temasek Holdings Pte. Ltd in an effort to raise its bid to purchase ABN Amro Holdings NV of the Netherlands to $93.34 billion and to be able to include more cash as part of the bid.

The article reports on Barclays PLC, the investment company that may be dealing with a financial loss in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Barclay is working with Bear Stearns Cos. and had once invested billions in subprime securities there. The two firms have a history of competing and also offering credit to one another.

The article focuses on changes which banks in Great Britain, including Barclays PLC and Lloyds TSB Group PLC, are implementing in 2007 in their lending policies and consumer collection policies as a result of fears of large amounts of consumer debt in the country and an increase in mortgage defaults which has been seen in the country.

The article focuses on Fred Goodwin, the CEO of Royal Bank of Scotland, and his proposed plans to outbid Barclays PLC in an effort to purchase ABN Amro Holding. Goodwin and a consortium he leads bid $98.58 billion for ABN which had already reached a purchase agreement with Barclays for approximately $88 billion. Goodwin's corporate takeover and management styles, which earned him the nickname Fred the Shred, are discussed.

The article reports on a bidding war over the purchase of ABN Amro Holding NV of the Netherlands. ABN had agreed to be acquired by the British bank Barclays PLC for $88.35 billion in stock but on April 25, 2007 it received an unwelcome $98.58 billion takeover offer from a consortium led by Royal Bank of Scotland PLC (RBS). For the RBS offer to succeed, RBS would have to break up the existing agreement with Barclays and ABN's agreement to sell its Lasalle Bank Unit to Bank of America.

The article reports on an increase in the number of bank mergers which is being seen in the worldwide banking industry and its potential impact on investor behavior. A discussion of several bank mergers, including one between Barclays PLC and ABN Amro Holdings NV, is presented. The difficulties associated with bank mergers, including differences in bank cultures, are discussed.

The article discusses the efforts of British banking institution Barclays PLC to takeover Dutch bank ABN Amro Holding. The takeover has been spearheaded by Barclays chief executive officer John Varley. The article discusses Varley's career and his leisure activities. The management structure of Barclays is also discussed.

The article focuses on the impact Barclays PLC's proposed plans to buy ABN Amro Holdings NV for a record $80 billion will have on the takeover plans of several banks including Bank of America Corp. and Citigroup Inc. Bank of America and Citgroup had been considering acquiring Barclays by takeover but if the Barclays ABN merger occurs analysts feel that they will re-evaluate their takeover plans and other global banks such as HSBC Holdings PLC will emerge as last minute bidders.

The article reports on the proposed plans of Barclays PLC to acquire ABN Amro Holdings NV. The acquisition would cost Barclays approximately $80 billion and would be the largest ever banking merger deal in Europe. The merger would create a global banking giant with worldwide consumer operations and many businesses including investment banking and credit cards.

The article profiles the big British banking company Barclays PLC, which announced plans in 2005 to expand in the U.S., India, China and South Africa. It suggests that investors should remember that the company's U.K. retail banking business is a poor performer, rating near the bottom of customer-service surveys. The article discusses the performance of Barclays stock, which still is not cheaper than many of its peers. However, a depressed stock will continue to fuel speculation that the bank is a takeover target.

The article focuses on issues surrounding the appointment of Robert E. Diamond Jr. as chief executive of Barclays PLC.

The article reports on the near completion of the sale of iShares exchange-traded-funds unit of Barclays PLC after it gained certification from the British Financial Services Authority on its capital sufficiency. People familiar with the transaction said that iShares could be valued at $5 billion. Bain Capital LLC, Colony Capital LLC, Apax Partners, Hellman & Friedman LLC, CVC Capital Partners and Goldman Sachs Groups Inc. all expressed interest to buy the unit. The certification boosted the shares of Barclays by 24% to 173.80 pence on March 27, 2009.

The article focuses on the move of the British tax department Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs to examine the offshore financial transactions designed by Barclays PLC to determine whether they helped the firm and other U.S. and European banks to reduce their tax bills. The department said on March 17 that it was investigating the issue after obtaining some leaked internal Barclays' documents dated from 2006 to 2007. The agency also mentioned that the documents are associated with allegations of tax avoidance in the banking sector.

This article reports on the decision by shareholders of Barclays PLC to raise capital in the Middle East in 2008. The move will avoid government ownership but could put one-third of the British bank in the ownership of Middle Eastern investors. Some of the shareholders expressed their dissatisfaction with the terms the deal offers to investors from Qatar and Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates.

The article reports on the plan of the board of directors of Barclays PLC to hold a shareholder vote as part of the company's decision to raise £7 billion in capital from Middle East investors in November 2008. It mentions that holding a shareholder vote increases the stakes in the company's battle with shareholders over its decision to sell stakes to private investors instead of accepting government money. Meanwhile, some existing shareholders complained that selling Barclays stakes is dilutive and includes a 14% yield to the new investors.

The article reports on the sale of as much as 32% stake in Barclays PLC to Qatari investors and Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a member of Abu Dhabi's royal family. With the deal, Mansour would get a stake of 16.3%, Qatar Holding as much as 12.7%, and Challenger Universal Ltd. of Qatar as much as 2.8%. The deal also reinforces Barclays' cushion against losses and meets a new benchmark set by the government in its bank rescue plan. It also prevents the government from looking over its shoulder as an investor.

The article reports that Barclays PLC is close to arranging a $9.98 billion infusion of capital from private interests reportedly based in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. If successful, the move would enable Barclays to avoid restrictions attendant to receiving aid from the British government. Barclays needed to raise capital to come into compliance with government-imposed strictures.

The article discusses the uncertainty faced by employees of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. in London, England. While they will be compensated for the month of September 2008, there is a discrepancy between the operations of the investment bank as Barclays PLC acquired most of Lehman's U.S. business while the European base is undergoing liquidation. However, they will still be informed if they will retain their positions. According to some employees, they did not receive the email from chairman Richard Fuld Jr. that was sent to U.S. employees.

The article focuses on the move of Robert E. Diamond Jr., president of Barclays PLC, to acquire Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. The move is part of Barclays' plan to sponsor a new Brooklyn arena for the New Jersey Nets in 2007. Barclays wanted to have a business in the U.S. Barclays agreed to buy the said unit for $1.75 billion and reportedly left the bad assets to the creditors.

The article reports on the decline in the 2008 first-half profit of five major banks in Great Britain such as HSBC Holdings PLC, Barclays PLC, HBOS PLC, Lloyds TSB Group and Royal Bank of Scotland, which could lead to a drop in corporate-tax receipts. According to a study conducted by KPMG, the amount of tax provisions dropped from £5.06 billion in the first half of 2007 to £1.18 billion in 2008.

The article focuses on Great Britain's third-largest bank in terms of market value, Barclays PLC and its operating results for the first half of 2008. The bank reported that its net income for the period was down 35% from the same period in 2007. The bank's business has been affected by credit-related write-downs at its investment banking unit, Barclays Capital. A declining British economy and a rapid downturn in Spain's housing market has also affected operating results.

The article speculates on an August 7, 2008 update from Barclays PLC chief executive John Varley concerning write-downs taken by the firm. To date Barclays' write-downs have been much smaller than those of rival banks, leading some analysts to wonder if Barclays has been properly accounting for its credit-related assets.

The article reports on the competition among British banks for consumer deposits which are the fundamental sources of funds for loans and mortgages. Banks are resorting to the retail side of their business as other sources of financing have reportedly been difficult to obtain. Information are offered on the strategies being adopted by banks which include HSBC Holdings PLC, Barclays PLC and HBOS PLC.

The article reports on a lawsuit filed by Cassa di Risparmio della Repubblica di San Marino SpA against Barclays PLC of Great Britain. Accordingly, San Marino alleges that Barclays sold it customized securities that bore much greater risk than the San Marino bank understood. San Marino is said to be seeking damages totaling €170 million or $267 million. It also mentions other lawsuits that followed such as the one involving midsize German lender HSH Nordbank AG.

The article focuses on the case filed by Sheikh Abdul Aziz Khalifa Al Thani, a minister in the Qatari Embassy in Paris, France, against Barclays in Spain. Al Thani alleged that a personal assistant worked with a Barclays branch manager in Marbella to steal €42 million from an account he had set up in the city. A civil case was also filed by Al Thani in the British Virgin Islands to recover funds connected to the bank dispute.

The article announces that Barclays PLC chief executive John Varley has persuaded Asian and Middle Eastern investors to invest $7.9 billion in the British bank. Japan's Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group will invest £450 million while Singapore's Tamasek Holdings may also invest. As stated, this move will hopefully reassure investors about the bank's capital strength.

The article reports that Barclays PLC did not join rivals Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC and HBOS PLC, to secure funds from investors to raise its capital. Barclay, Great Britain's third-largest bank in terms of capitalization, said it realized a profit in the first quarter of 2008 despite writedowns on mortgages and other investments. Chief Executive John Varley mentioned Barclay's investment plan like buying a bank in Russia which indicates that Barclay's volume of capital does not negatively affect its business operation.

The article reports on the plan of Barclays PLC bank president Robert E. Diamond Jr. to split his base of operations between New York City and London, England. The decision, which will put a lot of the bank's senior team to be based in the U.S., was made as other high-profile bankers including Thomas Gahan of Deutsche Bank AG and Michael Zaoui of Morgan Stanley are leaving the sector. Diamond states that he will still retain his post and keep reporting to company chief executive John Varley.

The article reports on the financial difficulty being encountered by major European banks as they struggle to cope with mortgage losses and rising defaults on loans to various clients. Both Barclays PLC and Royal Bank of Scotland have reported or projected to have about $19 billion in write-downs tied to subprime-mortgage securities. Bank analyst Michael Helsby of Morgan Stanley has reduced his earnings forecasts and stock price targets for most British banks.

The article reports on the implications of Barclays' £1.3 billion in charges and write-downs for complex securities tied to U.S. subprime mortgages. It suggests that banks will continue to see defaults by U.S. borrowers. The company recorded a total of £500 million in charges and write-downs during the third quarter of 2007 and another £800 million for October.

The article reports on the decision of John Varley, chief executive of Barclays PLC, to pursue opportunities in emerging markets as its bid for ABN Amro Holding NV failed. According to Varley, he perceives opportunities in India for his retail, commercial and investment-banking units. It notes that Barclays already has a firm base in South Africa, where in 2005 it acquired majority control of Absa Group Ltd. In July 2007, Barclays won an investment from China Development Bank.

The article reports on the possibility that ABN Amro Holding NV will accept a takeover bid by a consortium headed by Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC. ABN Amro Chief Executive Rijkman Groenink stated that the firm will assist the consortium to produce the best transition plan if it wins. ABN Amro had originally agreed to be sold to Barclays PLC but the ABN management engaged with the consortium when the stock price of Barclays dropped. The offer from Barclays was a 16.7% discount to the bid of the consortium.

The article reports on the loan made by Barclays PLC from Bank of England. The company blamed the British bank-clearing system for making the loan necessary as it needed the money to square accounts due to the system's technical breakdown. According to Barclays, the problem in the cash-transfer process resulted to a shortfall between reserves and borrowings.

The article reports that shareholders of Dutch-Belgian bank, Fortis NV, are scheduled to vote on the bank's role of in the €72.2 billion takeover battle for ABN Amro Holding NV. According to the author, Barclays PLC, which is also bidding for ABN, will have the upper hand if Fortis shareholders vote no. He states that there are initial indications which suggests that Fortis will have enough votes in favor of the deal and financing.

This article reports on the competition between Barclays PLC and a European bank consortium to acquire ABN Amro Holding NV in 2007. Supervisory and management boards of ABN decided to take a neutral position rather than recommend one of the two offers. The consortium includes Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC, Banco Santander SA and Fortis NV. Barclays submitted a new bid that offered more cash after it received financial commitments from China Development Bank and Temasek Holdings Pte. Ltd.

The article reports that Barclays PLC is close to an agreement to sell a significant stake in itself to Singapore investment firm Temasek Holdings Pte. Ltd. and one other investor to raise cash for Barclay's takeover bid for ABN Amro Holding NV. People familiar with the transaction said the stake would be about three percent, which would be worth roughly $2.8 billion based on the market value of Barclays.

The article reports on the pressure facing Barclays PLC to increase its bid for ABN Amro Holding NV and add cash, after a rival bidding consortium of European banks put more cash into its offer. It cites the issues that could affect the chances of Barclays to acquire ABN, such as the changes to the consortium's offer that may be required by Dutch regulators. The members of the conglomerate include Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC, Banco Santander Central Hispano SA and Fortis NV.

The article deals with the effect of the ruling of the Dutch Supreme Court on the selling of ABN Amro Holdings NV to Barclays PLC on other banks bidding for ABN. The companies signed a merger contract in April. However, in the same time, ABN decided to sell La Salle, which has business operations in Michigan and Illinois, to Bank of America for $21 billion.

The article reports on the acquisition of shares of Barclays PLC by New York hedge-fund firm Atticus Capital LP. The hedge-fund firm also met with the bank to discuss its efforts to purchase ABN Amro Holding NV in a bid valued at €63.67 billion. People familiar with the situation claim that Atticus has told Barclays officials that Barclays stock is undervalued and that if the bank dropped its bid, Barclays stock would rise.

The article reports on the statement issued by Barclays PLC concerning its proposal to buy ABN Amro Holding NV. Barclays chief executive John Varley said that his company's offer provides ABN shareholders certainty, delivery and value. Barclays provided the update because Dutch corporate laws require a 30-day update on offers.

The article examines the move of the Dutch Supreme Court to decide on ABN Amro Holding NV's sale of its U.S.-based LaSalle Bank by July 2007. The Court is weighing whether ABN can sell LaSalle to the Bank of America Corp., without the approval of ABN shareholders. The authors note that the move should speed the resolution of the sale, but if the Court upholds the decision, the shareholder vote would become a referendum on whether ABN is sold to Barclays PLC or the Royal Bank of Scotland PLC.

This article reports that several banks have contacted Barclays PLC to express their interest in acquiring ABN Amro Holding NV's main Brazilian bank operations. The importance of Banco Real to Barclays' growth is discussed. Information is presented on the value of the proposed bid by a European consortium led by Royal Bank of Scotland. Another potential buyer for Banco Real is Brazil's Banco Itaú Holding Financeira.

The article reports on the rejection of a higher bid from a consortium of European banks by ABN Amro Holding NV in favor of one from Barclays PLC. It is stated that ABN Amro and Barclays need to persuade their shareholders to support their €65.27 billion deal. ABN Amro cited financing and regulatory issues in rejecting a higher bid from the consortium.

This article looks at the growing competition for the acquisition of Dutch bank ABN Amro Holding NV. The bidders are a consortium led by Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC and Barclays PLC. Information is presented Dutch corporate rules regarding takeover bids. The option of the consortium for buying all of ABN is discussed, as well as other factors complicating the deal between ABN and the consortium.