Acquisition

Barclays PLC
13 December 2001

                BARCLAYS CAPITAL BUYS DBS SECURITIES UNIT IN THAILAND

In Hong Kong, Barclays Capital, a division of Barclays PLC, has announced that
it has agreed to purchase DBS Thai Danu Securities Ltd from two DBS Group
Holdings subsidiaries, DBS Securities Holdings PTE Limited (49%) and DBS Thai
Danu Bank Public Company Ltd (51%).  This acquisition will provide Barclays
Capital with the necessary licences to undertake its planned expansion of its
debt capital markets activity in the Asia Pacific region.  DBS Thai Danu
Securities has a net asset value of Bt365m (sterling equivalent £5.9m).

'We are very pleased to have made this acquisition and it is an important
part of our on-going expansion in Asia, ' said Robert Morrice, Chairman and
Chief Executive Officer, Barclays Capital, Asia Pacific.  'Thailand is a very
important market for Barclays Capital and we are looking forward to developing
and growing our business over the coming years.'



For further information, please contact:

Investor Relations
Sarah Sparke
020 7699 2536


Media Relations
Pam O'Keeffe
020 7699 2659


Notes to editors:

Barclays Capital is a division of Barclays PLC, one of the largest
multi-national financial services groups in the world.

As part of the Barclays Group, Barclays Capital has access to the balance
sheet of a bank with assets of £364 billion, capital resources of more than 
£16 billion (both as at 30th June 2001) and an AA credit rating.  Barclays
Capital employs 5,300 staff and has considerable international reach, with
significant operations in all the world's major financial centres, including
regional headquarters in London, New York, Hong Kong and Tokyo.  Barclays
Capital is debt focused, providing its clients with a broad range of financing
and risk management products.  The firm focuses on those activities where it
has competitive advantage and which are integral to the Group's business
strategy.  Barclays Capital acts internationally as intermediary and adviser
to corporates, financial institutions, governments and supranational
organisations, and has the global reach and distribution power to meet the
needs of issuers and investors worldwide.