Harmful investments by Barclays June 2009
Loans In July 2005, Barclays participated in a seven year € 3 billion revolving credit to EADS for the sum of € 85 million. EADS, the second largest European arms producer, is involved in the production of nuclear weapons. In March 2005, Barclays participated for a sum of US$ 100 million in a US$ 1.25 billion five year revolving credit to Textron. In April 2006 and April 2007, the revolving credit was amended. Barclays participated for US$ 90 million in both amended credits. In April 2006, Barclays participated for a sum of US$ 130 million in a US$ 1.75 billion credit to Textron Financial Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Textron Inc. In April 2007, Barclays participated for an amount of US$ 130 million in amending this credit. Textron produces cluster munitions. In April 2007, Barclays participated for the amount of € 56 million in a one-year bridge loan of € 815 million to Vedanta Resources. In August 2008, Barclays participated for a value of € 42,9 million in a five year loan of € 642 million to refinance the bridge loan. The Indian mining company Vedanta has illegally driven indigenous people from their land in India. The company has dumped toxic waste in India and Zambia. Issues of shares In April 2009, Textron issued shares for an amount of US$ 217.4 million. Barclays underwrote this issue for a sum of US$ 7.7 million.
Issues of bonds In September 2005, EADS launched a € 3 billion Euro Medium Term Note (EMTN) Programme, replacing the € 3 billion EMTN from February 2003. The programme enables the company to issue bonds on the European capital market on a regular basis and without too many regulatory requirements. Barclays arranged this programme and is one of the selected dealers for this programme. Between January 2007 and April 2009, Barclays underwrote five series of bonds for Textron, worth US$ 255 million, US$ 300 million, US $60 million, US$ 350 million and US$ 540 million. Barclays underwrote these issues for US$ 85 million, US$ 60 million, US$ 60 million, US$ 12.32 million and US$ 14.625 million respectively.
In January 2006, Barclays managed and underwrote the issuing of bonds of Vedanta Finance (Jersey) Limited, a financing subsidiary of Vedanta Resources in Jersey, with a total value of € 600 million. In June 2008, Vedanta Resources issued bonds in two tranches totalling € 803 million. The proceeds were intended for general corporate purposes. The bonds were sold as a private offering. Barclays acted as joint book runner. In January 2009, Barclays arranged the issuing of bonds for Wal-Mart for € 770 million. Barclays underwrote this issue for € 150.2 million. Between August 2005 and March 2009, Barclays underwrote a further four issues of bonds for Wal-Mart for the sums of € 30.7 million, € 119.1 million, € 26.1 million and € 10.1 million respectively. The US supermarket chain Wal-Mart censors trade union information, sacks members of trade unions, and even closes entire stores to block the unionisation of the workforce.
Shareholdings Barclays owns or manages shares in eleven of the researched companies, for a total value of US$ 9186,84 million.
Colbún
US$
7,47 million
Dongfeng
US$
27,31 million
EADS
US$
54,27 million
Freeport McMoRan
US$
453,19 million
Lundin Petroleum
US$
9,97 million
Petrochina
US$
636,73 million
Suncor Energy
US$
697,92 million
Textron
US$
54,15 million
Total S.A.
US$
1.512,31 million
Vedanta Resources
US$
50,54 million
Wal-Mart Stores
US$
5.682,98 million
Sources: European banks financing controversial companies, Profundo (research paper for Netwerk Vlaanderen), June 2009 ; Shareholdings of some European Banks in controversial companies, Profundo (research paper for Netwerk Vlaanderen), June 2009.