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But markets were also focused on whether Mr Diamond, a high-profile and highly paid banker, would keep his job amid widespread calls for him to go.
Markets were also wondering whether the latest banking scandal would result in a radical shake-up of the way in which business is conducted across the sector, amid pressure from high up the political ladder.

“I am truly sorry that our customers, clients, employees and shareholders have been let down,” Mr Agius said in a company statement, less than a week after the bank was fined by British and US regulators for alleged rigging of inter-bank rates.
“Last week’s events — evidencing as they do unacceptable standards of behaviour within the bank — have dealt a devastating blow to Barclays’ reputation. As chairman, I am the ultimate guardian of the bank’s reputation. Accordingly, the buck stops with me and I must acknowledge responsibility by standing aside,” Mr Agius said in the statement.

Barclays added that it would launch an independent audit that would “undertake a root and branch review of all of the past practices that have been revealed as flawed since the credit crisis started” about five years ago.
The bank insisted that it would establish “a zero tolerance policy for any actions that harm the reputation of the bank”.

Britain’s Business Secretary Vince Cable on Sunday backed calls for a criminal investigation into bankers involved in the scandal.
That was after Prime Minister David Came-ron said he intended to bring Mr Diamond and others at the bank to account.

US national Mr Diamond, who was in charge of Barclays’ investment arm at the time of the suspected manipulation, was to face questions from British lawmakers tomorrow. The SFO yesterday said it had been working closely with the Financial Services Authority during the latter’s investigation into Libor rate manipulation.
“Now that the investigation into the issue of regulatory misbehaviour has concluded, the SFO are considering whether it is both appropriate and possible to bring criminal prosecutions,” the independent government department said in a statement.

Pressure on Barclays has risen after British and US authorities last week together fined the bank US$455 million amid international probes into several lenders over alleged rigging of overnight rates. Barclays is the first major financial institution to settle following investigations on both sides of the Atlantic.

On Sunday it emerged that bailed-out Royal Bank of Scotland had sacked four traders over their alleged involvement in the affair, raising suspicions that the practice was widespread. — AFP.