Segun Agbaje, GMD, GTB

Guaranty Trust Bank (GT Bank) said  its pretax profit for the first half of  the year  climbed 63 percent year-on-year to  N53.6 billion , compared with N32.9 billion   in the same period last year.

It said gross earnings rose to N106.1 billion  during that period, from N84.8 billion  a year earlier. The top-tier Nigerian lender declared an interim dividend of 0.25 naira.

Shares in GT Bank, which has gained 25.96 percent this year, shed 0.72 percent   on profit taking, dealers said. The broader index fell 0.14 percent to 23,671 points, according to Reuters report.