The Pudong Development Bank, one of China's small and medium joint-stock commercial banks, made a net profit of 6.78 billion yuan (US$992.68 million) for the first half of the year.

The figure was an increase of 406 million yuan, or 6.37 percent over the same period last year, according to the bank's half-year report on Saturday.

Earning per share was 0.86 yuan in the first half, representing an increase of 6.47 percent over the same period last year.

Business revenue during the first six months this year was 16.68 billion yuan, down 0.17 percent year on year. Interest income dropped 0.56 percent year on year to 15.13 billion yuan.

The non-performing loan ratio was 0.9 percent in the first half, down 0.31 percentage point over that of 2008.

Total assets of the lender registered 1.62 trillion yuan in the first half, up 23.68 percent over the end of last year.

(Xinhua News Agency August 29, 2009)