Barclays investors to approve £7bn fund-raising plan

Investors in Barclays will meet today to approve a £7bn (€8.2bn) fund-raising which could put almost a third of the bank in the hands of Middle East investors.

Barclays has opted for the move instead of taking part in the British government’s £37bn (€43.6bn) recapitalisation scheme to inject taxpayer funds into HBOS, Lloyds TSB and Royal Bank of Scotland.