BNI sees 2010 profit rise of up to 80 pct

PT Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI) (BBNI), Indonesia's fourth-biggest lender by assets, said on Monday that 2010 net profit could jump as much as 80 percent from 2009, as it expects to turn around non-performing loans.

Analysts forecast full-year 2010 net profit of 3.868 trillion rupiah ($432 million), according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S, which would be a 56 percent increase on 2009, when BNI reported a net profit of 2.486 trillion rupiah.

In July, the bank reported first-half net profit rose 61 percent to 1.94 trillion rupiah, as fee income climbed.

BNI also sees loan growth of 15 to 20 percent in 2011, said Gatot M. Suwondo, BNI's president director. ($1=8953 Rupiah). Source: Reuters