For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails
Barclays has reported a sharp rise in pre-tax profit to £3.2bn for 2016 up from £1.1bn in 2015. City analysts had been expecting profits of £3.97bn.
Barclays said it continued to sell off assets around the world so it could focus on its core UK and US markets .
On Wednesday the bank announced a separation agreement with its Africa unit.
"A year ago we laid out our intention to accelerate the restructuring of Barclays and refocus our business as a transatlantic , consumer, corporate and investment bank, anchored in London and New York," Jes Staley, Barclays chief executive said in a statement.
"We have made strong progress against this agenda in 2016."
The company also reduced the amount it paid out in redress to customers £2.7bn to £1bn, but said further conduct issues remain.
Barclays faces fraud charges in the US over the sale of mortgage-backed securities in the run-up to the 2008-09 financial crisis.
Revenue increased 7 per cent to £22bn and the bank continued to cut costs, which fell to £13.4bn from £15bn in the previous year, it announced on Thursday.
The increase in profits led to a surprise increase in its core capital ratio – the key measure of a bank's strength and ability to withstand financial shocks.
Business news: In picturesShow all 13 1 /13Business news: In pictures Business news: In pictures Flybe collapses Airline Flybe has collapsed. All future flights on the Exeter-based airline have been cancelled – leaving more than 2,300 staff facing an uncertain future, and wrecking the travel plans of hundreds of thousands of passengers. The chief executive, Mark Anderson, said: “Europe’s largest independent regional airline has been unable to overcome significant funding challenges to its business.
AFP via Getty
Business news: In pictures Future product placement will be 'tailored to individual viewers' Marketing executives say that product placement in films and televison shows on streaming services such as Netflix may be tailored to individuals in future. For instance, if data shows that a viewer is a fan of pepsi, a billboard in the background of a shot would host an advert for pepsi, while for a viewer known to have different tastes it could be for Coca-Cola
Paramount
Business news: In pictures Corbyn wishes Amazon a happy birthday In a card sent to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on the company's 25th birthday, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn writes: "You owe the British people millions in taxes that pay for the public services that we all rely on. Please pay your fair share"
Business news: In pictures No deal, no tariffs The government has announced that it would slash almost all tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Notable exceptions include cars and meat, which will see tariffs in place to protect British farmers
Getty
Business news: In pictures Fingerprint payment NatWest is trialling a new bank card that will allow people to touch their hand to the card when paying rather than typing in a PIN number. The card will work by recognising the user's fingerprint
NatWest/PA Wire
Business news: In pictures Mahabis bust High-end slipper retailer Mahabis has gone into administration. 2 Jan 2019
Mahabis
Business news: In pictures Costa Cola Coca-Cola has paid £3.9bn for Costa Coffee. A cafe chain is a new venture for the global soft drinks giant
PA
Business news: In pictures RIP Payday Loans A funeral procession for payday loans was held in London on September 2. The future of pay day lenders is in doubt after Wonga, Britain's biggest, went into administration on August 30
PA
Business news: In pictures Musk irks investors and directors Elon Musk has concluded that Tesla will remain public. Investors and company directors were angry at Musk for tweeting unexpectedly that he was considering taking Tesla private and share prices had taken a tumble in the following weeks
Getty
Business news: In pictures Jaguar warning Iconic British car maker Jaguar Land Rover warned on July 5, 2018 that a "bad" Brexit deal could jeopardise planned investment of more than $100 billion, upping corporate pressure as the government heads into crucial talks
AFP/Getty
Business news: In pictures Spotif-IPO Spotify traded publically for the first time on the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday. However, the company isn't issuing shares, but rather, shares held by Spotify's private investors will be sold
AFP/Getty
Business news: In pictures French blue passports The deadline to award a contract to make blue British passports after Brexit has been extended by two weeks following a request by bidder De La Rue. The move comes after anger at the announcement British passports would be produced by Franco-Dutch firm Gemalto when De La Rue’s contract ends in July. The British firm said Gemalto was chosen only because it undercut the competition, but the UK company also admitted that it was not the cheapest choice in the tendering process.
Business news: In pictures Beast from the east economic impact The Beast from the East wiped £4m off of Flybe’s revenues due to flight cancellations, airport closures and delays, according to the budget airline’s estimates. Flybe said it cancelled 994 flights in the three months to 31 March, compared to 372 in the same period last year.
Mr Staley, who took the top job at Barclays a year ago, did not comment on the impact of Brexit on its business. Barclays has been one of the most positive of any of the major banks about Britain's exit from the EU and has confirmed it will keep its global headquarters in London.
In January he said: "I don't believe that the financial centre of Europe will leave the City of London. There are all sorts of reasons why I think the UK will continue to be the financial lungs for Europe .
"The bulk of what we do will continue to occur in London in my view."
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies