Barclays reports 2018 profit of 3.5 billion pounds, missing estimates

LONDON (Reuters) - Barclays reported a lower-than-forecast attributable profit of 3.5 billion pounds for 2018, as it took a 150 million pound provision against Brexit losses and its under-pressure investment bank weathered a difficult fourth quarter.

The bank's profit of 1.4 billion pounds when conduct and litigation charges were included compared to a 1.9 billion pounds loss in 2017.

Barclays' International division, which houses its investment bank, reported a profit before tax of 3.9 billion pounds, in line with analysts' expectations of 3.95 billion pounds.

Barclays paid a dividend of 6.5 pence per share.

(Reporting By Lawrence White and Iain Withers, editing by Sinead Cruise)