May 22 (SeeNews) - The combined net profit of the banking sector in Bosnia's Serb Republic rose 43% on the year to 55.5 million marka ($30.7 million/28.4 million euro) in the first quarter of 2023, the entity's banking agency figures showed.
The combined revenue of the eight banks operating in the entity increased by 13% to 145.5 million marka, whereas total expenses fell 1% to 85.2 million marka, according to preliminary data published by the Banking Agency of Bosnia's Serb Republic on Friday.
Net interest income rose to 93.5 million marka in the first quarter of 2023 from 78.6 million marka in the like period of last year.
Total loans amounted to 5.9 billion marka at the end of March, up 1% from the end of 2022. Deposits totalled 7.3 billion marka, down 4% compared with the end-2022 figure.
The total net assets of the banks operating in the Serb Republic declined to 9.5 billion marka at the end of March, from 9.6 billion marka at the end of 2022.
The Serb Republic is one of two autonomous entities that form Bosnia and Herzegovina. The other entity is the Federation.
(1 euro = 1.95583 marka)