(Yicai Global) Aug. 31 -- Net interest income enabled Agricultural Bank of China Ltd. [SHA:601228; HK:1288] to report net profits of CNY109 billion in the first half, up 3.4 percent over the same period last year.

The bank's revenue came to CNY279 billion, up 6.4 percent from a year ago, of which net interest income was CNY211 billion -- an increase of 6.2 percent -- and contributed the most to the bank's revenue, the report shows.

The bank's net interest margin was 2.24 percent in the first half, down 7 basis points from a year earlier.

The non-performing loan ratio at the end of June was 2.2 percent, lower than the 2.4 percent of last June; provision coverage was 182%, versus 173% a year earlier; the capital adequacy ratio was 13.16 percent, higher than the 13 percent recorded for the same period last year.