London, June 23, 2026, 09:26 (BST)
Barclays dropped 0.6% to 512.7 pence early Tuesday in London after its big jump the day before. Shares started at 509.9p and peaked at 517.7p not long after the open.
The drop wasn’t as steep as the rest of the market. The FTSE 100 fell about 0.9% at 09:05 BST. STOXX 600 slipped 0.89% as traders saw renewed expectations of US rate hikes and a tech selloff cut into risk demand.
Barclays picked up speed Monday, gaining 3.94% to finish at 516p. The FTSE 100 added 0.72%. Volume stayed under the 50-day average.
UK banking stocks climbed on Monday. Markets took Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s resignation as a smooth handover. Barclays, NatWest and Lloyds all added over 3%. “The signs are now that the successor to Keir Starmer will be in power in less than a month,” IG’s Chris Beauchamp said. Reuters
Banks dipped on Tuesday. NatWest dropped around 1.4%, with Lloyds off 1.3%. Barclays held up better in early trading.
Barclays is sticking to its capital-return plan after the first quarter. The bank posted a 13.5% return on tangible equity (RoTE), 14.1p earnings per share, and £8.2 billion in income. RoTE is profit as a share of tangible equity. Barclays kept its RoTE goals—over 12% in 2026, above 14% in 2028—and announced a £500 million buyback. CEO C.S. Venkatakrishnan said Barclays stays “confident in delivering all our financial targets across a range of environments.” Investegate
Barclays started its new buyback on May 8, right after finishing a £1 billion repurchase that took 234.9 million shares off the market at an average 425.8p. Fewer shares can lift earnings per share, assuming profit holds steady.
Barclays will release first-half numbers on July 28. Investors are watching trading income, credit charges, and how quickly capital is returned to see if the stock stays close to its recent highs.
Risks are still a concern. Barclays took a £228 million provision in the first quarter after MFS collapsed, and the bank said the 2026 loan-loss rate might hit the high end of its 50-to-60-basis-point range. One basis point is 0.01 percentage point. The latest rerating could unwind fast if the UK loosens fiscal policy, US policy gets tighter, or credit quality drops.
Barclays dropped Tuesday, though the move tracks a pullback across banks following a sharp rally. The stock still looks strong against peers. What happens next will hinge on rates, credit expenses, and whatever management says in July.
