ZAGREBACKA BANK GROUP PROFIT GROWS BY 58 PERCENT

ZAGREB, July 26 (Hina) - The Zagrebacka Bank Group made 639 million kuna (US$85.2 million) in profits before taxation in this year's first six months, which is an increase of 58 percent as against the same time last year, Zagrebacka Bank said on Friday. #L# The Group's revenue in the first half of 2002 grew by 20 percent, totalling 1.55 billion kuna (US$206.6 million). Loans to clients grew also by 20 percent, amounting to 20 billion kuna (US$2.7 billion). Compared to the end of 2001, the Group's assets dropped by 0.4 percent, to 47.57 billion kuna (US$6.3 billion). Zagrebacka Bank's share in said figure was 40.57 billion kuna, a decrease of 1.2 percent as against the beginning of the year. Zagrebacka Bank, Croatia's leading bank, increased its profits in this year's first half by 46 percent as against the same time in 2001, to 555 million kuna (US$74 million). Revenues grew by 19.6 percent, totalling 1.15 billion kuna (US$153.3 million). Clients' deposits in the Zagrebacka Bank Group rose by 1.7 percent, to 37.9 billion kuna (US$5.5 billion). In Zagrebacka Bank, clients' deposits grew by 2.1 percent, to 32.13 billion kuna (US$4.3 billion). (hina) ha