Barclays is set to receive bids for iShares, its exchange traded funds business, over this weekend to agree a deal for Monday, in a move that could further appease its shareholders, who were today reassured by the financial regulator about the UK bank's capital position.

Buyout firms have been jockeying with US bank Goldman Sachs to acquire iShares and are expected to table bids over the weekend, according to four sources close to the various bids.