Chinese lenders' profit growth slows down
Xinhua, August 10, 2016 Adjust font size:
The growth of profits for Chinese commercial banks slowed this year, the top banking regulator said Wednesday.
The net profits of commercial lenders reached 899.1 billion yuan (about 135.14 billion U.S. dollars) during the first half (H1) of the year, up 3.17 percent year on year, according to a statement on the website of the China Banking Regulatory Commission.
The assets of the banking sector jumped 15.7 percent from one year earlier to 218 trillion yuan at the end of June, while liabilities hit 201.8 trillion yuan, up 15.2 percent year on year.
The banking sector continued to give financial support to agriculture, small-and-micro enterprises as well as affordable housing projects.
Outstanding agriculture-related loans extended by lenders stood at 27.3 trillion yuan at the end of June, up 8.7 percent year on year. Outstanding loans to small-and-micro firms hit 25 trillion yuan, up 13.2 percent. Endi