Barclays was on the verge of securing a £6 billion capital injection from Middle Eastern investors today in a move that will enable the bank to avoid using the Government for financial support.

Bosses are understood to be finalising deals with the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) and an Abu Dhabi-based sovereign wealth fund. A formal announcement could be made later today.

If completed, the fund raising will help Barclays’ chief executive John Varley recapitalise the bank without government help.

Barclays, along with Royal Bank of Scotland, Lloyds TSB and Halifax Bank of Scotland, was involved in recent talks with the Treasury over the historic multi-billion pound taxpayer bail-out.

While the other three institutions collectively accepted £37 billion of emergency funding in exchange for giving up significant stakes to the Government, Barclays decided to go it alone, announcing plans to raise more than £6.5 billion from investors to help shore up its balance sheet.

A cash injection from external investors means the bank will not be subject to government investment conditions that restrict bonus payments to board members as well as dividend payouts.

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