The Union internationale de banques (UIB) recorded net banking income of 419.2 million Tunisian dinars over the first nine months of 2026, up 7.9% year on year, according to its activity indicators published on Monday 19 October on the website of the Tunisian Financial Market Council.
The increase comes as banking operating income edges down, from 685.3 million to 680.1 million dinars. A fall in banking operating expenses, from 296.9 million to 260.8 million, improves the balance generated by banking activity.
The bank's interest expenses thus fell from 286.7 million to 249.8 million dinars. This decline offsets that of interest income and lifts the interest margin to 225 million, up 5%. Income from the commercial and investment securities portfolio rose in parallel by 28.1%, to 76.5 million.
Revenue gains outpaced the growth in operating costs. Operating expenses rose 2.2%, to 219.7 million dinars, while gross operating income reached 200 million, up 15%. This is an operating indicator, not the bank's net profit.
The cost-to-income ratio, which compares operating expenses with net banking income, falls to 52.4%, from 55.4% a year earlier, an improvement of three points.
On the customer side, net loans outstanding stand at 6.52 billion dinars at end-September, 3.7% more than a year earlier. Deposits follow a different path, falling 1.2% to 7.05 billion.
This fall in funds raised masks a change in their composition. Term deposits, certificates of deposit and other financial products fell by 665.8 million dinars, while sight deposits rose by 284.8 million and savings deposits by 207.4 million.