Friday, July 30, 2010

News Update DBS reports $300m net loss

DBS posted an unexpected $300 million loss in the second quarter after it took a $1.02 billion goodwill charge on its Hong Kong business. -- ST PHOTO: DESMOND FOO


DBS Group, South-east Asia's biggest bank, posted an unexpected $300 million loss in the second quarter after it took a $1.02 billion goodwill charge on its Hong Kong business.
DBS said on Friday its April-June net loss compared to $552 million a year ago. Excluding the goodwill charge, DBS said its second-quarter earnings rose 30 per cent to $718 million.
Analysts had predicted a net profit of $564 million, according to the average of eight forecasts in a Reuters survey.
DBS shares have fallen about 6 per cent so far this year while Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp is down 0.9 per cent and United Overseas Bank is up 0.9 per cent.
The benchmark Singapore index is up 3.1 per cent. -- REUTERS