Does not seem to have liquidity problems

Extracts from FT of 15 Apr 08
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/dd395978-0b23-11dd-8ccf-0000779fd2ac.html

Barclays ‘wide open’ to new mortgage business
By Jane Croft, Retail Banking Correspondent

Barclays said it was “wide open” for new mortgage business at a time when other lenders were reining back because of the credit squeeze.

Barclays took 9.3 per cent of net new mortgage lending in the second half of 2007 – its highest level for at least three years – compared with 4.5 per cent in the second half of 2006.

Mr Seegers pointed out to investors at a seminar in London that the retail bank was self-funding – and did not have to rely on wholesale markets – and its loans were more than supported by its savings balances.
Deanna Oppenheimer, head of UK retail banking, added that Barclays saw the current market turmoil as an “opportunity”

The bank also attracted strong volumes of savings and new small business banking accounts

Barclays opened 400 branches and sales points in the first quarter of 2008 alone. Last year, it opened 644 branches and sales centres.
In the UAE, Barclays had become the second largest issuer of credit cards within three months of launch and it was becoming the biggest bank in sub-Saharan Africa.

Barclaycard is now targeting in the US, where it acquired Juniper, a card business, in 2004 and where customer loan balances have expanded from $1.6bn in 2005 to $6.5bn (£3.3bn) now. Barclays is now the 11th largest issuer of cards in the US and the second largest in South Africa