Barclays PLC Posts Strong 2007 Half-Year Results

Barclays PLC Posts Strong 2007 Half-Year Results

Barclays Capital and Barclays Global Investors Again Deliver Excellent Performances

Barclays PLC announced today a 12% increase in profit before tax for the first six months of 2007, to US$8,079 million (4,101m pounds Sterling). Earnings per share rose 14% to $0.82 (41.4p). The interim dividend per share increased 10% to $0.23 (11.5p). (All percentages in this press release are based on the GBP figures.)

The results included excellent performances by the two Barclays PLC businesses with substantial operations in the US: Barclays Capital and Barclays Global Investors (BGI). The results also reflect continued investment in Barclaycard US, the credit card business.

Highlights of the financial results for these businesses included:

— Barclays Capital delivered record results in the first half of 2007,
with its two best quarters ever. Profit before tax increased 33% to
$3,270m (1,660m pounds). This was the result of a very strong income
performance, driven by good growth across asset classes and regions,
underpinned by the strength of the client franchise. Total income
increased 21% to $8,181m (4,153m pounds) as a result of continued
growth in commodities, currency products, mortgages, credit products
and emerging markets. Income grew in all regions. Average Daily Value
at Risk (DVaR) increased 9% to $77.4m (39.3m pounds).
— BGI delivered good growth in profit before tax, increasing 7% to $764m
(388m pounds). The growth was broadly based across products,
distribution channels and geographies. Total income increased 12% to
$1,858m (943m pounds), primarily attributable to increased management
fees, particularly in the iShares and actively-managed businesses, and
securities lending. Assets under management increased by $199 billion
to $2,013 billion (31st December 2006: $1,814bn), including $50
billion of net new assets and $23 billion of assets attributable to
the acquisition of Indexchange Investment AG.
— Together, Barclays Capital and BGI profits represented 50% of Barclays
PLC profit before tax, compared to 44% for the same period last year.
— Barclaycard US moved into profit with very strong growth in balances
and customer numbers and created a number of new partnerships
including Aer Lingus.

“Our continued success across the board, particularly in our investment banking and asset management businesses, demonstrates once again the soundness of our long-term strategy, and further validates our plans for the future,” said Robert E. Diamond Jr., President of Barclays PLC.

THE INFORMATION IN THIS PRESS RELEASE SHOULD BE READ IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE RESULTS ANNOUNCEMENT BEING FILED BY BARCLAYS PLC TODAY WITH THE US SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION BY MEANS OF A CURRENT REPORT ON FORM 6-K, WHICH IS AVAILABLE ON THE SEC WEBSITE AT http://www.sec.gov/

Footnotes:
1. Financial information in this document was prepared in accordance with
International Financial Reporting Standards (or was derived from such
information) and (other than certain US dollar figures) has been
extracted from Barclays PLC results.
2. Unless otherwise stated, the information in this document relates to
the half year to 30th June 2007 and is compared to the corresponding
period in 2006.
3. Profit before tax and net new assets dollar figures are approximate
translations of the figures reported today by Barclays PLC in Sterling
and derived using the average US$/pounds Sterling exchange rate for
the six months ended 30th June 2007 of $1.97/1 pound. Total assets
under management dollar figures are approximate translations of the
figures reported today by Barclays PLC in Sterling and derived using
the year end US$/pound Sterling exchange rate as at 30th June 2007 of
$2.01/1 pound (31st December 2006 of $1.96/1 pound).
4. Net revenue is reported as Net income in the Barclays PLC Results
Announcement issued on 2nd August 2007.

About Barclays PLC

Barclays PLC is a major global financial services provider engaged in retail and commercial banking, credit cards, investment banking, wealth management and investment management services. It is one of the largest financial services companies in the world by market capitalisation. With over 300 years of history and expertise in banking, Barclays operates in over 50 countries and employs over 127,000 people. Barclays moves, lends, invests and protects money for over 25 million customers and clients worldwide.

For further information about Barclays, please visit our website http://www.barclays.com/.

About Barclays Capital

Barclays Capital is the investment banking division of Barclays Bank PLC. With a distinctive business model, Barclays Capital provides large corporate, government and institutional clients with solutions to their financing and risk management needs. Barclays Capital has the global reach and distribution power to meet the needs of issuers and investors worldwide. Barclays Capital Inc. is a member of the NASD and SIPC.

For further information about Barclays Capital, please visit our website http://www.barclayscapital.com/.

About Barclays Global Investors

Barclays Global Investors is one of the world’s largest asset managers and a leading global provider of investment management products and services. It has over 2,900 institutional clients and over $2.0 trillion of assets under management. It transformed the investment industry by creating the first index strategy in 1971 and the first quantitative active strategy in 1979. BGI is the global product leader in Exchange Traded Funds (iShares) with over 290 funds for institutions and individuals trading in 19 markets. Globally, it has $359 billion of iShares assets under management.

For further information about Barclays Global Investors, please visit our website http://www.barclaysglobal.com/.

(C)2007 Barclays Global Investors, N.A. All rights reserved. iShares(R) is a registered trademark of Barclays Global Investors, N.A.

Forward-looking statements

This document contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the US Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Section 27A of the US Securities Act of 1933, as amended, with respect to certain of the Barclays Group’s plans and its current goals and expectations relating to its future financial condition and performance. These forward- looking statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate only to historical or current facts.

Forward-looking statements sometimes use words such as “aim”, “anticipate”, “target”, “expect”, “estimate”, “intend”, “plan”, “goal”, “believe”, or other words of similar meaning. Examples of forward-looking statements include, among others, statements regarding the Barclays Group’s future financial position, income growth, impairment charges, business strategy, projected levels of growth in the banking and financial markets, projected costs, estimates of capital expenditures, and plans and objectives for future operations.

By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty because they relate to future events and circumstances, including, but not limited to, the further development of standards and interpretations under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) applicable to past, current and future periods, evolving practices with regard to the interpretation and application of standards under IFRS, as well as UK domestic and global economic and business conditions, market related risks such as changes in interest rates and exchange rates, the policies and actions of governmental and regulatory authorities, changes in legislation, the outcome of pending and future litigation, the success of future acquisitions and other strategic transactions and the impact of competition — a number of which factors are beyond the Barclays Group’s control. As a result, the Barclays Group’s actual future results may differ materially from the plans, goals, and expectations set forth in the Barclays Group’s forward-looking statements. Any forward- looking statements made by or on behalf of Barclays speak only as of the date they are made. Barclays does not undertake to update forward-looking statements to reflect any changes in Barclays expectations with regard thereto or any changes in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based. The reader should, however, consult any additional disclosures that Barclays has made or may make in documents it has filed or may file with the SEC.