October 31 (SeeNews) - The combined net profit of the banks operating in Bulgaria fell to 871 million levs ($518.4 million/ 444.7 million euro) in the first nine months of 2017, from 1.07 billion levs in the prior-year period, the country's central bank said on Tuesday.
Net interest income decreased to 2.29 billion levs in January-September from 2.49 billion levs in the same period last year, while fee and commission income grew to 851 million levs, from 785.3 million levs, the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) said in a monthly report on the performance of the country's banks.
The banking sector's net operating revenue fell to 2.85 billion levs in the period under review, from 3.1 billion levs in January-September 2016.
The banks' total assets decreased to 82.8 billion levs at the end of September, from 89.8 billion levs a year earlier.
Twenty-two banks and five branches of foreign banks operate in Bulgaria.
(1 euro=1.95583 levs)