Morocco’s Bank Profits Exceeded $1.1 Bn by End of September

Man carrying Moroccan dirhams and US dollars (File photo: Reuters)
Man carrying Moroccan dirhams and US dollars (File photo: Reuters)
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Morocco’s Bank Profits Exceeded $1.1 Bn by End of September

Man carrying Moroccan dirhams and US dollars (File photo: Reuters)
Man carrying Moroccan dirhams and US dollars (File photo: Reuters)

The profits of eight main Moroccan banks reached $1.1 billion at the end of September, a 0.96 percent increase compared to the same period last year, while the total net banking income increased 6.6 percent to reach $5.62 billion, according to financial data released by Moroccan banks for the third quarter of 2019.

The performance of the eight banks had uneven profit growth during this period. The net profits of the Moroccan Bank of Foreign Commerce (BMCE) decreased 16.7 percent, and CIH Bank S.A. dropped 28.6 percent.

The net profits of the rest of the banks varied between 2.17 percent for the Morocco Bank of Commerce and Industry (BMCI), and 29.41 percent for Credit Agricole Group of Morocco.

Meanwhile, the profits of the two largest Moroccan banks, Attijariwafa bank and Banque Populaire of Morocco (GBP), both increased 4.76 percent, while those of Societe Generale grew 6.27 percent.

During this period, the banks strengthened their capital in the context of the gradual implementation of the new precautionary measures for the banking sector.

The capital of the eight Moroccan banks at the end of September was $16.7 billion, an increase of 6.33 percent compared to the same period last year.

The capital of the Banque Populaire of Morocco saw the largest increase with about 9.95 percent, and BMCE’s capital rose during this period about 8.4 percent. As for CIH Bank S.A, its capital rose 7.03 percent, preceding Credit Agricole Group of Morocco which had a 6.27 percent growth. Attijariwafa bank and Banque Populaire of Morocco (GBP) came in last with 5.77 percent and 4.02 percent respectively.



China Expands Visa-free Entry to More Countries in Bid to Boost Economy

Shoppers with their purchased goods walk past a popular outdoor shopping mall in Beijing, on Nov. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Shoppers with their purchased goods walk past a popular outdoor shopping mall in Beijing, on Nov. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
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China Expands Visa-free Entry to More Countries in Bid to Boost Economy

Shoppers with their purchased goods walk past a popular outdoor shopping mall in Beijing, on Nov. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Shoppers with their purchased goods walk past a popular outdoor shopping mall in Beijing, on Nov. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

China announced Friday that it would expand visa-free entry to citizens of nine more countries as it seeks to boost tourism and business travel to help revive a sluggish economy.
Starting Nov. 30, travelers from Bulgaria, Romania, Malta, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Estonia, Latvia and Japan will be able to enter China for up to 30 days without a visa, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said.
That will bring to 38 the number of countries that have been granted visa-free access since last year. Only three countries had visa-free access previously, and theirs had been eliminated during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The permitted length of stay for visa-free entry is being increased from the previous 15 days, Lin said, and people participating in exchanges will be eligible for the first time. China has been pushing people-to-people exchange between students, academics and others to try to improve its sometimes strained relations with other countries, The Associated Press reported.
China strictly restricted entry during the pandemic and ended its restrictions much later than most other countries. It restored the previous visa-free access for citizens of Brunei and Singapore in July 2023, and then expanded visa-free entry to six more countries — France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Malaysia — on Dec. 1 of last year.
The program has since been expanded in tranches. Some countries have announced visa-free entry for Chinese citizens, notably Thailand, which wants to bring back Chinese tourists.
For the three months from July through September this year, China recorded 8.2 million entries by foreigners, of which 4.9 million were visa-free, the official Xinhua News Agency said, quoting a Foreign Ministry consular official.