The Barclays share price is flying after the bank’s first-half results. Furthermore, a return of dividends and buybacks could send BARC higher still.
On Wednesday of last week, Barclays (LON: BARC) released its trading update for the first half of this year.
Pre-tax profit for the first six months of the fiscal year came in at almost £5 billion, compared to £1.3 billion for the same period in 2020.
Furthermore, Earnings per share (EPS) of 22.2p were more than 5 times higher than H1 2020. As a result, Barclays announced a £500 million share buyback scheme and a half-year, 2p dividend payment.
Investors welcomed the news, sending the Barclays share price more than 5% higher on Wednesday before it settled 2% higher on the day.
This impressive data release has helped Barclays gain almost 14% since July 19th and may now shift the focus to this year’s 190.48p high.
BARC price outlook
The daily chart shows several encouraging developments.
Firstly, July’s sell-off was reversed by the 200-day moving average at 158p.
Secondly, the rally that followed forced BARC to break out of a descending flag pattern. Finally, the price has also cleared the 50-day moving average at 174.84p.
However, in the last six trading days, the rally has been rejected at the 100 DMA at 178.74p. And this is a clear level of resistance that BARC must hurdle.
If the price penetrates 178.40 on a closing basis, the 2021 high should follow.
Conversely, if the price loses the support of the 50 DMA at 174.84p, it would invalidate the immediate bullish outlook and suggest the Barclays share price could slip back into the downtrend.
Barclays share price chart (Daily)
For more market insights, follow Elliott on Twitter.