British banking major Barclays today reported a fall of 54 per cent in the third quarter profit after tax at 1.07 billion pounds, impacted by rising impairment charges.

The company had a profit after tax of 2.32 billion pounds in the year-ago period, Barclays said in a statement.

The company's total income rose to 7.53 billion pounds in the quarter under review from 6.98 billion pounds in the same quarter last fiscal.

"We have maintained strong income momentum in the third quarter, particularly in Barclays Capital and across the international activities of GRCB (Global Retail and Commercial Banking), enabling us to achieve consistent profitability across the first three quarters of 2009," company's Group Chief Executive John Varley said.

For nine months period ended September, Barcalys' net profit plunged by 29 per cent to 2.73 billion pounds after the company was hit by impairment charges, or provisions made for bad debt, of 6.21 billion pounds. Total income rose 26 per cent to 23.78 billion pounds

in nine months period.

During the nine-month period, impairment charges rose 65 per cent to 6.21 billion pounds. It said, "A quarter of this increase was attributable to foreign exchange movements with majority of the balance being driven by economic deterioration and portfolio maturation."