(1 June 2015 – Malaysia) Malayan Banking Bhd (Maybank) posted a 6.2 percent increase in first quarter profit, but warned of challenging business conditions this year.
Net income climbed to 1.7 billion ringgit (A$609 million) in the three months through March, from 1.6 billion ringgit a year earlier, the company said in a stock exchange filing on 28 May.
Revenue rose 9.9 percent to 9.18 billion ringgit.
Net interest income rose 8.9 percent in the first quarter from a year earlier to 2.6 billion ringgit, Maybank said. Income from Islamic banking increased 15 percent to 932.7 million ringgit, while other operating income climbed 27 percent to 1.56 billion ringgit.
Maybank chief executive Abdul Farid Alias said the rest of the year was expected to remain challenging, the bank will closely monitor the level of business activity following the implementation of the goods and services tax, he said.
Malaysia’s economic growth exceeded 5 percent in each of the past five straight quarters, supporting demand for credit at lenders.