Barclays is the first of Britain's major banks to report for 2003
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Barclays has reported a 20% rise in full-year profit, boosted by growth in its investment banking business.
The UK's third biggest bank said pre-tax profits rose to £3.84bn ($7.18bn) from £3.21bn the year before.
Operating profit at Barclays Capital investment bank rose 35% to £782m, the company said.
The bank gained from booming issuance of and dealing in corporate bonds, which were popular with interest rates remaining low.
Organic growth
Barclays is the first of the UK's large commercial banks to report for 2003.
Profit was also boosted by a fall in bad debt provisions,
which were 9% lower at £1.35bn.
Barclays chief executive Matt Barrett said: "These are strong results, which demonstrate the momentum we have generated over our first four-year goal period."
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