Athens News Agency: News in English, 09-11-09

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Alpha Bank says 9-month profits down 39.3%

[02] Construction down 40.6% in Aug.

[01] Alpha Bank says 9-month profits down 39.3%

Net commission revenues fell 18.9 pct to 286.5 million euros, reflecting lower volumes in investment banking and portfolio management, while results from financial transactions improved to 161.3 million euros. Operating costs grew 2.9 pct to 869.4 million euros, or a cost to revenue rate of 48.3 pct, while personnel spending fell by 4.7 pct to 416.1 million euros.

Capital under management totaled 46.6 billion euros at the end of the nine-month period from January to September, while saving deposits totaled 41.9 billion euros (-0.6 pct). Saving deposits in Greece totaled 35.3 billion euros, almost unchanged from last year, while in Southeastern Europe, saving deposits fell 2.2 pct to 6.1 billion euros.

In Cyprus, the bank operates a branch network of 37 units. Pre-tax profits totaled 59.6 million euros, down 25.9 pct from last year, saving deposits totaled 3.4 billion euros and loans totaled 4.5 billion euros.

In Romania, the bankās network totals 200 branches. Its loan portfolio grew 6.5 pct to 4.3 billion euros, with pre-tax profits down 10.1 pct to 43 million euros.

In Bulgaria, the bankās network totals 120 branches. Saving deposits grew 39 pct, while new loans grew by 3.0 pct in the nine-month period.

In Serbia, Alpha Bank operates a network of 167 branches with a market share of 6.4 pct in loans. Operating revenue fell 30.5 pct in the nine-month period.

In Albania, the bank has 47 branches with pre-tax profits at 7.9 million euros, loans up 31.7 pct to 535 million euros and saving deposits down 10.8 pct to 385 million euros.

In fYRoM, the bank operates a branch network of 25 units. Loans fell 15 pct to 131 million euros and saving deposits fell 32 pct to 60 million euros.

[02] Construction down 40.6% in Aug.

The statistics service said Northern Aegean (65.9 pct), Attica (57.6 pct) and Western Macedonia (56 pct) recorded the highest percentage declines in building volume in August, while Crete (39.1 pct) recorded the highest increases.

In the eight-month period from January to August, the volume of private building activity fell 29.8 pct, and permits issued fell by 15.8 pct.

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