British bank Barclays says profits up 12 pc

LONDON: British bank Barclays on Thursday said that net profit rose 12 per cent in the first three months this year to 826 million pounds (942 million euros, 1.250 billion dollars) compared to the first quarter of 2008.

Sales surged 42 per cent to 8.15 billion pounds and Barclays added in a statement that it would resume shareholder dividend payments in the fourth quarter of 2009.