OVERALL ASSETS OF CROATIAN BANKS USD 14.35 BILLION

ZAGREB, Nov 13 (Hina) - The Croatian banking system's overall assets at the end of October 2001 amounted to 119.07 billion kuna (approx. $14.35 billion), which is an increase of 7.2 billion, or 6.4 percent, in relation to the end of 2000. According to the Croatian National Bank's data, 42 banks are active in Croatia, of which 22 are foreign, 17 are private and three banks are state-owned. The data on the banks' ownership structure shows the growing share held by foreign owners, which is a dominating trait in the Croatian banking sector. The foreign banks' share in the sector's overall assets rose to 88.2 percent at the end of the first half of 2001, as opposed to 84.1 at the end of 2000. At the same time, the private domestic banks' share in the overall property decreased from 10.2 percent at the end of 2000 to 6.2 in June 2001. Banks in the state's ownership retained the same share, 5.6 percent, as against 5.7 at the end of 2000. Besides the foreign take-over, the domestic banking sector is also characterised by the high degree of foreign concentration on the Croatian market. The share of the two largest banks in Croatia, the Zagrebacka Banka and the Privredna Banka Zagreb, in the banking system's overall assets is 47 percent. Out of the overall assets of the banking system in Croatia, 61 percent belongs to the four largest banks in the country. ($1 = 8.3 kuna) (hina) np sb