Barclays takes close to $2 billion writedown, keeps capital opti
(Reuters)
<p><img src="http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/nm/20080515/2008_05_15t022224_450x255_us_barclays.jpg?x=130&y=73&q=85&sig=o5UybsnNBcSy95V25h6m3A--" align="left" height="73" width="130" alt="The logo of Barclays bank is seen outside a branch in central London in this March 3, 2008 file photo. (Alessia Pierdomenico/Reuters)" border="0" /> (http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/business/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080515/bs_nm/barclays_dc)Reuters - British bank Barclays Plc said profits
fell in the first quarter and refused to rule out a rights
issue as it took a 1 billion pound ($2 billion) hit for the
impact of the credit crunch.</p><br clear="all"/>
http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/business/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080515/bs_nm/barclays_dc