CHEERS: Barclays got an encouraging response from analysts and the stock market to its appointment of Sir David Walker, an industry veteran who has called for curbs on the banking industry's excesses, as chairman of the beleaguered bank. Walker's resume includes serving as a deputy governor of the Bank of England and chairman of Morgan Stanley International.

THE DETAILS: Walker replaces Marcus Agius, who resigned after Barclays was fined $453 million by U.S. and British regulators for manipulating a key market index, the London interbank offered rate (LIBOR).

THE OUTLOOK: Walker, 72, says he will be "fully engaged" in the selection of a chief executive to replace Bob Diamond, who also resigned in the wake of the LIBOR scandal. He led a review of corporate governance in the financial sector published in 2009 which criticized "inadequate control, unduly narrow focus and serious excess in some instances" in executive pay. He will be paid 750,000 pounds ($1.17 million) a year as chairman.