All articles by Farah Halime
Farah Halime
Crédit Agricole’s retail banking underpins 2009 profits
Frances largest retail bank Crdit Agricole has reported group net profits of 1.12 billion ($1.5 billion) for fiscal 2009, up 10 percent from 1 billion a year earlier
Dexia returns to the black with ?1bn profit
Franco-Belgian financial group Dexia made a net profit of 1 billion ($1.35 billion) in 2009, rebounding from the previous years loss of 3.32 billion Retail deposits across the group rose 11 percent to 81 billion in 2009, compared to a year before, while customer loans grew 3 percent to 51 billion
Erste posts 5% rise in profits
Austrias Erste has posted a 5 percent rise in net earnings to 903.4 million for fiscal 2009, up 5.1 percent from 859.6 million a year earlier, despite higher risk costs
M&T Bank customers can ‘build own bonus’
New York-headquartered M&T Bank is offering new customers cash bonuses of up to $150 based on the number of banking products they use, in an initiative designed to boost the bank’s cross-sell metrics. Customers signing up to the Build Your Own Bonus rewards scheme will receive an initial bonus of up to $100 for activating a direct deposit with their new account, in a promotion which runs until Apil
Commerzbank posts loss, upbeat on retail
Commerzbank, Germanys second largest private sector bank has posted a net loss of 4.5 billion ($6 billion) for fiscal 2009 compared to a loss of 407 million a year earlier
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BEA products celebrate Year of the Tiger
Bank of East Asia (BEA), Hong Kongs third biggest lender by market capitalisation, has launched a childrens savings account offering customers a HK$50 ($6.44) gift certificate as part of the banks celebration of the Chinese Year of the Tiger The promotion also extends to the BEA Life Insurance series, with new and existing customers who sign up for the banks Education Savings Insurance or Target Savings Insurance plans receiving gift certificates worth HK$300 to spend at the Toys R Us retailer. Opening a Kid Master account at this time of year is an excellent way for children to develop good savings habits, said Simon Lau, BEAs general manager and head of personal banking
MDM Bank re-brands following URSA merger
Russias MDM Bank has launched a re-branding campaign following its merger last year with URSA Bank The new logo will feature an image of the sun, which the bank said reflects its warm attitude to individual and corporate clients But the bank will keep the motto Moy Delovov Mir (My Business World), the first letters of which form the name of the bank
Handelsbanken boasts 60 percent profit rise
Swedens Handelsbanken has posted a resilient fiscal 2009 net profit of SEK4.24 billion ($582.19 million), 60 percent up from SEK2.65 billion a year earlier The result coincided with news that the bank, the second largest in Sweden by market capitalisation, plans to expand in the UK in its drive to grow its retail banking market and boost business volumes
PNB to install 5,000 ATMs, target overseas growth
Punjab National Bank (PNB), the second largest public sector bank in India, is to augment its existing 3,075-strong ATM network by installing 5,000 new units within the next three years.
ICBC marks 10 years of online banking with fees cuts
Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), the worlds largest bank by market capitalisation, is offering its internet banking customers discounted fees to celebrate 10 years of its online channel. Silver and gold members of the banks Personal Internet Banking (VIP) service, will be entitled to discounts on transfers and remittances, free messaging alerts and a 20 percent discount on fund purchase fees until March 2010 The banks online banking service has already been hugely successful and by the end of the first quarter of 2009, corporate and personal customer numbers reached 61.96 million and 1.59 million respectively (see RBI 612)