March 31 (SeeNews) - The combined net profit of Bulgarian banks at end-March fell by 5.8% compared to a year earlier, to 287.6 million levs ($160.2 million/147.0 million euro), data from the country's central bank showed on Friday.
The banks' net interest income declined 8.7% on the year to 774.1 million levs at end-March, while net fee and commission income rose 7.4% to 264.9 million levs, according to the data published by the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB).
The banking sector's total three-month net operating revenue was 7.2% lower year-on-year, at 875.3 million levs.
The banks' total assets stood at 92.9 billion levs at the end of March, slightly up from 92.5 billion levs at end-February.
Twenty-two banks and five branches of foreign banks operate in Bulgaria.
(1 euro=1.95583 levs)