Barclays posts rise in pre-tax profits

Banking giant Barclays today posted a 15% rise in pre-tax profits today but part-nationalised rival Lloyds Banking Group said it was still on course for losses this year.

Barclays posted a surplus of £1.37bn (€1.56bn) in the first three months of 2009 - largely thanks to its Barclays Capital investment banking division – although bad debts jumped 79% to £2.3bn (€2.6bn).