RIYADH, 5 July 2006 — Arab National Bank’s (ANB’s) net profit for the first half of 2006 reached $361 million, a 52 percent increase over the first half of last year. The net interest income was up by 12 percent, while the fee income went up by 90 percent. The expenses were down by two percent. “These results reflect a balanced growth in the various operating areas,” according to Dr. Robert Eid, the bank’s chief executive officer. He said loans and advances went up by 30 percent to $11.6 billion, reflecting strong economic growth in the Kingdom. Customer deposits during the same period grew by 17 percent to reach $14.5 billion.