London, Feb 1, 2026, 08:19 GMT — Market closed
- On Friday, Barclays (BARC.L) ended the day 1.38% higher, closing at 486.20 pence.
- The bank revealed a new share buyback, snapping up stock at an average price near 483 pence.
- Investors are gearing up for the lender’s full-year results, set for release next week.
Barclays shares wrapped up January’s final session on a positive note, climbing 1.38% to 486.20 pence on Friday. That’s just shy of its yearly peak at 492.95 pence. The stock swung between 481.36 and 492.43 pence, with volume hitting around 37.6 million shares. (Hargreaves Lansdown)
As the market stays closed until Monday, all eyes turn to whether UK bank stocks can maintain their momentum once earnings season kicks in. Barclays is entering this period near a recent high, leaving little margin for error.
London stocks pushed higher on Friday, extending the FTSE 100’s winning streak to seven months—the longest run in over a decade. Banks led the charge, with the sector’s sub-index climbing 1.6%, boosted by gains in Lloyds Banking Group. A weaker pound added fuel to the rally. “The weaker pound is obviously beneficial for the multinationals,” said Fiona Cincotta, senior market analyst at City Index. (Reuters)
Bank stocks pushed ahead across Europe, climbing 1.7% as investors weighed earnings reports alongside Donald Trump’s pick of former Fed Governor Kevin Warsh to head the Federal Reserve. Daniel Murray, global head of discretionary portfolio management at EFG International, noted that “Warsh … offers a degree of continuity,” but also signaled “a bit more caution” due to Warsh’s previous hardline views on aggressive easing. CaixaBank surged after raising its profit outlook, while the European Central Bank held its policy steady. (Reuters)
Barclays pressed ahead with its buyback program. In a regulatory filing, the bank revealed it purchased 3,517,483 ordinary shares on Jan. 29 through Citigroup Global Markets Limited, paying between 477.75 pence and 488.30 pence. The volume-weighted average price came to 483.3002 pence, which factors in the size of each trade. The bank confirmed it plans to cancel these shares. Since launching the programme in October, Barclays has bought back 105,387,286 shares at an average price of 465.4996 pence. (TradingView)
Buybacks are key for bank stocks since they boost per-share metrics and signal strong capital cushions. They also set a clear benchmark: if earnings guidance weakens, investors quickly question whether the buyback can continue at the same pace.
Barclays’ American depositary shares (BCS) slipped 0.5% in U.S. trading, last seen at $26.75.
Barclays is set to release its full-year 2025 results on Feb. 10, with first-quarter figures following on April 28. Investors will be keen to see if the bank adjusts its performance targets or changes the pace of capital returns. Attention will also focus on how the investment bank performed against the UK consumer and corporate segments. (London South East)
Still, the situation works both ways. Shares hovering near a yearly peak mean that any slight slip in costs, credit quality, or rate forecasts could send the stock tumbling fast—especially if the broader bank rally loses steam.
