Barclays' shares under pressure despite profits leap

Barclays today reported a leap in first quarter profits to £1.82bn (€2.09bn), but shares came under pressure amid fears of a slowdown at its star investment banking arm.

The banking giant said a marked decline in bad debts and improving financial markets helped it notch up the first quarter haul – which was 47% ahead of a year earlier and up 90% on an underlying basis.