BZW

BZW

Barclays plc ( /bɑrkliz/) is a British multinational banking and financial services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It has operations in over 50 countries and territories across Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and South America and around 48 million customers. As of 31 December 2010 it had total assets of US$2.33 trillion, the fourth-largest of any bank worldwide (after BNP Paribas, Deutsche Bank and HSBC). Founded in 1690, it is the 6th oldest bank in the world still in existence.

Barclays is a universal bank and is organised within two business 'clusters': Corporate and Investment Banking and Wealth and Investment Management; and Retail and Business Banking. The Corporate and Investment Banking and Wealth and Investment Management cluster comprises three business units: Corporate banking; Investment banking; and Wealth and investment management. The Retail and Business Banking cluster comprises four business units: Africa Retail and Business Banking; Barclaycard (credit card and loan provision); Europe Retail and Business Banking; and UK Retail and Business Banking.

Barclays has a primary listing on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index. It had a market capitalisation of approximately £21.8 billion as of 23 December 2011, the 22nd-largest company of any company with a primary listing on the London Stock Exchange. It has a secondary listing on the New York Stock Exchange.