LONDON, June 25 (Reuters) - Barclays (BARC.L: Quote, Profile, Research) intends to use about half of the 4.5 billion pounds ($8.84 billion) it is raising from investors on rebuilding its capital and will direct the other half at taking advantage of new business opportunities, it said on Wednesday.

"About half the capital will be directed at higher ratios and about half will be directed at new business opportunities," said John Varley, Barclays chief executive.

Barclays said the impact of its fundraising would have increased its core tier 1 capital ratio to 6.3 percent at the end of last year, from the 5.1 percent it reported. That ratio will stay above its target of 5.25 percent for "the foreseeable future" but will come down, he said.

"We're not going to hold it at 6.3 percent, we intend to use some of the capital that we're raising to pursue new business opportunities, and the effect of that will be to bring that proforma number down," Varley told reporters on a conference call.

(Reporting by Steve Slater)