Commercial banks' profitability continued to increase, although at a slightly slower pace, in the third quarter of 2010, during which banks in Serbia scored RSD 20,7 billion worth of profit (EUR 1 = RSD 107), the financial internet portal Kamatica.com stated on Monday.

The tendency of improvement persisted in the first nine months of the year, and the commercial banks' profit increased by 22 percent relative to the same period in 2009.

The total amount of profit realized in the first nine months of 2010 is by RSD 4,2 billion higher than the profit made in the same period last year.

A total of 12 commercial banks operated with a loss June-September 2010, while the same negative results were recorded by 13 banks in the same period 2009.

The 12 banks recorded an RSD 4,8 billion loss in the given period of 2010, while the total loss recorded in the first nine months of 2009 amounted to RSD 6,6 billion.

In the first nine months of 2010, a total of 21 banks achieved positive results and made an RSD 25,4 billion profit.

Highest profit in the first three quarters of 2010 was recorded by Banca Intesa, AIK Bank, Raiffeisen Bank and Commercial Bank.