Barclays Share Price (BARC)

BARC - Barclays Investor Summary

Barclays plc is a multinational financial services company operating in the UK via its subsidiary, Barclays Bank plc. Barclays plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a member of the FTSE 100 share price index. The bank traces its roots back to the 17th century to bonds traders in London and began to develop into the organisation later known as Barclays Bank with the joining of James Barclay as a partner in the mid 18th century. By the late 19th century the bank had begun to develop a branch network and this was accelerated in the early 20th century with the continual takeover of independent banks.

By the mid-1960s Barclays had become recognised as one of the few significant players in the UK consumer banking market. During this time the company launched its flagship 'Barclaycard' which would be the UK's first credit card, and remain its most popular in the following decades. Also during this time the company introduced cash machines for the first time in the UK and opened a US subsidiary: Barclays Bank of California. The company continued to expand in the early 2000s with the acquisition of the Woolwich Building Society which is now used as a brand for Barclay-provided mortgages. Barclays was one of the banks significantly affected by the 2008 banking crisis, being forced to borrow from the UK government emergency funding facility in August of that year but also acquiring the failed Lehman Brothers amid turmoil in the industry. This acquisition may put Barclays in a stronger position than its competitors once the financial crisis has settled.