THE Bank of Punjab (BoP) earned profit before tax of Rs7.05bn in the first half of 2023, a growth of 80pc from the same period last year, as per a press release.

Non-markup/ interest income increased to Rs9.93bn against Rs5.73bn FY23, registering a significant growth of 73pc. The Bank`s net interest margin remained at Rs.

15.92bn while non-markup expenses remained at Rs22.2bn. Earnings per Share for the first half of 2024 improved to Rs. 1.33 per share as against Rs. 1.05 per share during 1st Half of 2023.

Furthermore, the Bank has been assigned a long-term entity rating of`AA+`by M/s Pakistan Credit Rating Agency, with a short-term rating being at the highest rank of `A1+`. •