Barclays post lukewarm half-year results

The bank, which has been receiving negative media attention around last week's resignation of MD Thuli Johnson lately, saw its usually strong performance in its retail banking being offset by higher costs and large increases in impairments.

Impairments grew by 34 percent to P 109.2 million, but were down 11 percent on a half-on-half basis. "For the period, impairments grew considerably as tough economic conditions continue to put a stress on our customers," Barclays says in a statement accompanying the results.