February 28 (SeeNews) - The combined net profit of the banks operating in Bulgaria rose to 116.9 million levs ($72.9 million/59.8 million euro) in the first month of 2017, from 94.2 million levs in the same month a year earlier, the country's central bank said on Wednesday.
Net interest income decreased to 246.98 million levs from 263.7 billion levs in January 2017, while fee and commission income grew to 95.8 million levs from 83.1 million levs, the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) said in a regular report on the performance of the country's banks.
The banking sector's net operating revenue rose to 300.4 million levs in January, from 289.7 million levs in the same month of 2017.
The banks' total assets increased to 96.9 billion levs at the end of January, from 94.2 billion levs a year earlier.
Twenty-two banks and five branches of foreign banks operated in Bulgaria as at end-January, according to BNB data.
(1 euro=1.95583 levs)