[Photo:  Rex Features  /  The Guardian]

Since the U.S. Department of Justice began its investigations into the sale of toxic mortgage-backed securities by banks (prior to the onset of the credit crisis), regulators have publicly stated that banks that negotiate quickly will face lower payouts than banks that wait and cause the investigation to drag out.

That said, Barclays remains one of the last investment banks to not yet come to an agreement with financial regulators over its role in the global financial crisis, and it’s looking increasingly likely that Barclays management will continue its fight against the Department of Justice – which seeks damages of $31 billion against the bank.

Many analysts have expected Barclays to follow the lead of many British, European and American banks and settle with the DOJ for an amount far below the sought-after fine. If Barclays faces the full $31 billion charge, that would exceed the bank's revenue by over 5%.