Forex Hit

May 17, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka's Bank of Ceylon March quarter profits fell 13.2 percent to 664.7 million rupees from a year ago on lower foreign exchange income, while interest margins widened from lower interest expenses, its accounts showed. In the March quarter the group made a general provision of 334.4 million rupees, up 12.8 percent, while specific provisions fell 40.4 percent to 240.6 million rupees.

The bank's loan recoveries were down 55 percent to 139 million rupees.

Total non-performing loans rose 7.8 percent to 17.6 billion rupees, while performing loans were grew 8.8 percent to 285.1 billion rupees in the March 2010 quarter.

Gross loans grew 8.8 percent to 319.7 billion rupees.

In the March quarter total deposits fell almost 1.0 percent to 407.7 billion rupees as interest rates fell.

The bank's government securities held-to-maturity portfolio grew 1.1 percent to 139.1 billion rupees, while treasuries in the trading portfolio rose 45.4 percent to27.7 billion rupees.

BOC group's gross assets grew 1.2 percent to 554 billion rupees.

BOC's March quarter revenues fell 12.9 percent to 14.3 billion rupees from the previous year.

Interest income fell 12.6 percent to 11.9 billion rupees, while inte