Greek-owned lender Bancpost makes EUR 4.6 million loss in Romania

Greek lender EFG Eurobank, the majority shareholder in Romanian bank Bancpost ended the first half of this year with a loss of EUR 4.6 million in Romania, after posting a profit of EUR 10.7 million in the first half of 2010, according to the bank. Its loss increased in the second quarter of the year, to EUR 3.5 million, from EUR 1.1 million in the first quarter. Romania brought the lender the second largest loss, compared to its other markets Cyprus, Serbia, Bulgaria, Turkey. The Ukraine market brought the biggest loss, of EUR 5 million. In Romania, the bank recorded loans of EUR 3.4 billion, out of which 16.4 percent were non-performing loans, according to the lender's most recent financial report. Apart from its home country Greece, Romania brought the highest volume of loans for EFG Eurobank. Bancpost's total assets reached EUR 4.85 billion in Romania at the end of the first six months of this year, from a retail network of 284 units, the largest of its subsidiaries outside its home country. More about the results on EFG Eurobank's website. EFG has recently merged with another Greek lender, Alpha Bank. Read more about it here. editor@romania-insider.com