DUSHANBE, May 27, 2011, Asia-Plus - Open joint-stock company (OJSC) Orienbonk, which is Tajikistan’s largest commercial bank, has lowered interest rate on the local currency loans from 34 to 30 percent, Orienbonk’s press office reports.

By the bank board’s decision of May 24, 2011 the local currency loans are now provided at 30 percent annual interest and the foreign currency loans are provided at 26 percent annual interest.

Over the first quarter of this year, Orienbonk has reportedly provided 504.5 million somoni in loans and 443.7 million somoni have been repaid by April 2011.

The loans have been provided mainly to the industrial, communications and agrarian sectors.

As of April 1, 2011, Orienbonk’ loan portfolio amounted to 612 million somoni.

The bank’s assets rose 217.2 million somoni in a year to march 31, 2011, reaching 1.564 billion somoni.

Over the first three months of this year, Orienbonk has attracted deposits with fixed period for a total amount of 285.1 million somoni and US$254.3 million have been transferred through Orienbonk over the same three-month period (47.2 percent, or US$81.5 million, more than in the same period last year).

As of April 1, 2011, Orienbonk’s net profit amounted to 3.9 million somoni, which is 2.3 million somoni more compared to the same date of last year.