Barclays Bank Kenya says Q1 pretax profit up 10 pct

Reuters
An advertisement is seen on the facade of Barclays Plaza in Nairobi in a file photo. REUTERS/Noor Khamis

NAIROBI (Reuters) - Barclays Bank Kenya said on Thursday its pretax profit for the first quarter rose 10 percent to 3.12 billion Kenyan shillings ($32 million), helped by an increase in interest income. Net interest income, or total interest minus interest expenses, rose to 5.14 billion shillings from 4.76 billion a year before, spurred on by higher lending to customers. Barclays Kenya, a unit of Barclays Plc, said its net loans and advances to customers rose to 125.3 billion shillings from 116.78 billion. Earnings per share rose to 0.39 shillings from 0.36 shillings. ($1 = 97.0000 Kenyan shillings)