Bank of Communications, China's fifth-largest lender, has reported a 1.73 trillion yuan (about 250 billion U.S. dollars) outstanding loans in the first half of this year, surging 30.15 percent from the beginning of this year in response to the government's economic stimulus package.

Profits were flat, with the Hongkong-listed bank making 15.56 billion yuan net profit in the first half, up 0.3 percent year on year, according to the bank's half-year report released Wednesday.

Outstanding deposits amounted to 2.37 trillion yuan, increasing 26.77 percent from the begining of this year.

The non-performing loan rate was 1.51 percent, 0.41 percentage points lower than that in the end of last year.

The bank's capital adequacy rate was 12.57 percent, 0.9 percentage points smaller from the end of 2008.

At the end of June 2009, the gross assets of the bank reached 3.30 trillion yuan, up 22.96 percent from early this year. Return on gross assets rate totaled 1.04 percent, 0.15 percentage points lower than that in the end of last year.

Earnings per share for the bank stood at 0.32 yuan, equaling the level of the same period last year.

The bank's share dropped 2.55 percent to close at 8.8 yuan on Wednesday at the Shanghai Stock Exchange.

(Xinhua News Agency August 19, 2009)