by millionairemind » Fri Nov 07, 2008 8:42 am
This is going to weigh heavily on the STI today.
From BT
November 7, 2008, 7.46 am (Singapore time)
DBS Q3 net profit falls 38%, below forecast
SINGAPORE - DBS Group, Southeast Asia's biggest bank, posted a 38 per cent drop in quarterly profit, below market expectations, as losses from bad debts mounted amid global financial market turmoil.
The bank said on Friday it earned $379 million (US$253 million) in July-September, compared with $610 million a year ago.
Analysts had predicted a net profit of $475 million, according to the average of five forecasts compiled by Reuters.
DBS's result came after its smaller rivals reported below forecast earnings, hurt by writedowns on bad debts including complex products such as collateralised debt obligations.
Singapore's second-ranked lender, United Overseas Bank, posted a 5 per cent drop and Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp announced a 13 per cent slide in third-quarter profit.
DBS, which is 28-percent owned by Singapore state investor Temasek Holdings, has benefited from strong loan growth, but an end to the republic's property boom and slowing Asian economies are likely to crimp lending and lead to an increase in non-performing loans.
DBS shares dropped 11 per cent in the third quarter, less than the 12.2 per cent drop in OCBC, but more than the 9.8 per cent drop in UOB shares. -- REUTERS
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