Shares in focus: Don’t bank on Barclays

Barclays, like many other banks, faltered during the downturn. And with the world still paying down its debts, it's not about to get any better. So should you avoid Barclays? Phil Oakley investigates.

The business

Barclays is a global financial services company. Its core businesses include retail banking (bank accounts, loans and savings) in Britain, Europe and Africa; the Barclaycard credit card business; Barclays Capital Investment Bank; and a wealth management business for high net-worth individuals.

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Phil spent 13 years as an investment analyst for both stockbroking and fund management companies.

 

After graduating with a MSc in International Banking, Economics & Finance from Liverpool Business School in 1996, Phil went to work for BWD Rensburg, a Liverpool based investment manager. In 2001, he joined ABN AMRO as a transport analyst. After a brief spell as a food retail analyst, he spent five years with ABN's very successful UK Smaller Companies team where he covered engineering, transport and support services stocks.

 

In 2007, Phil joined Halbis Capital Management as a European equities analyst. He began writing for MoneyWeek in 2010.