Strong support for Barclays rights issue

A mammoth fundraising by Barclays has received strong support after 95% of the shares in the £5.8bn (€6.8bn) rights issue were taken up.

The bank offered the new shares at a deeply-discounted price. The move was part of its “bold but balanced plan” for meeting demands from regulators that it plug a £12.8bn hole in its finances.

Barclays reported 94.6% take-up for the shares in the offer yesterday, with the remainder offered in the wider market by underwriters.