ICBC Annual Profit Rises on Gains From Bond Investments — Update

By Kosaku Narioka

Industrial & Commercial Bank of China reported a rise in annual net profit despite lower interest income and wider impairment losses, thanks to gains on bond investments.

The Chinese lender said Friday that net profit increased 1.7% to 356.80 billion yuan, equivalent to $51.62 billion, in 2025. That beat the estimate of 354.59 billion yuan in a poll of analysts by data provider Visible Alpha.

ICBC said net gains on financial investments jumped 52% to 34.81 billion yuan as the bank seized market opportunities to realize gains on bond investments.

Net interest income--the difference between what banks earn on loans and pay clients for deposits--declined 0.4% to 635.13 billion yuan as loan interest rates continued to drop in China.

Major Chinese banks, such as ICBC, have been cutting lending rates as policymakers take steps to bolster a weak property market and support consumer confidence.

Net fee and commission income increased 1.6% to 111.17 billion yuan, while net trading income dropped 4.8% to 18.51 billion yuan.

Meanwhile, impairment losses on assets widened to 134.86 billion yuan from 126.66 billion yuan.

The bank's nonperforming-loan ratio fell to 1.31% at the end of December from 1.34% at the end of 2024.

Write to Kosaku Narioka at kosaku.narioka@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

March 27, 2026 06:01 ET (10:01 GMT)