Proactive Investors - Barclays (LON:BARC) posted an expectedly robust set of first-quarter results today, though mortgage pressures were evidently the fly in the ointment.
Firm-wide net interest income came to £1.55 billion, representing a year-on-year decrease of around 4%, while profit before tax for the group was £2.27 billion, down from £2.6 million last year.
“Continued structural hedge momentum was more than offset by mortgage margin pressure and adverse deposit dynamics reflecting wider market trends,” said Barclays.
Net interest margins in the UK consumer division were 3.09% compared to 3.2% in the first quarter of 2023. The UK corporate banking divisions saw NIMs fall 10 basis points to a flat 5%, while private banking and wealth management fell 11 basis points to 5.07%.
Firm-wide CET1 capital stood at a healthy 13.5%. Return on tangible equity (RoTE) was down from 15% to 12.3%.
Barclays does not expect to increase its total dividend for the year, instead emphasising share buybacks to support shareholder returns. £10 billion is expected to be returned to shareholders by end-on-play 2026.
FTSE 100 seen flat in pre market
Futures contracts have the footsie opening a couple of points lower at 8,033 when markets open today.
London's blue-chip index closed 4.43 points lower at 8,040.38, despite spending most of the day at a record high, with Bank of England chief economist Huw Pill’s warning that interest rate cuts could be some ways off spoiling the party.
On today’s macroeconomic calendar, UK car production presented some fairly glum figures.
Year-on-year production declined 27.1% to 59,467 units in March 2024, breaking six consecutive months of growth.
Exports plunged 35.9% to 39,472 units, though this accounted for at least two thirds of total production.
A big day for company updates is afoot, with AstraZeneca (NASDAQ:AZN), LSEG, Unilever (LON:ULVR), Barclays, Sainsbury’s (LON:SBRY) and WPP (LON:WPP) all expected to report.