VOL. XLI

No. 10

9-March-1998

SAUDI ARABIA

NCB Ups Dividend And Expands Loan Book

Saudi Arabia's largest bank, Jiddah-based National Commercial Bank (NCB), has reportedprofits of SR1,043mn ($278mn) for 1997, the first time the bank has broken the SR1bn mark.The results marks a 14% improvement over 1996's SR 915mn ($244mn) and the dividend wasalso increased to SR743mn ($198mn). Third quarter profits were SR917mn ($245mn), up 39% onthe same period in 1996, meaning that NCB earned SR126mn ($34mn)...