YEREVAN, December 15, /ARKA/. Armenian commercial banks’ investments into securities in the first nine months of 2009 grew by 11.9% from the beginning of the year to 86.9 billion Drams, making 6.86% of all their aggregate assets, down from 7.49% at the beginning of the year.

According to the banks’ provisional reports, the overall investments of 22 Armenian commercial banks in securities as of September 30, 2009 stood at 90.7 billion Drams, of which 95.81% were investments in state treasury bonds.

The list of biggest investors was topped by ArmSwiss bank which invested 16.8 billion Drams, of which 16 billion Drams were invested in state treasury bonds. The bank earned 761.7 million Drams of interest returns ( 44.56% of all its return on interest).

The second was HSBC Bank Armenia with 9.16 billion Drams, including 9.12 billion Drams of investments in state treasury bonds. Its return on interest made 514.1 million Drams.

Other leaders were Bank VTB Armenia with 6.676 billion Drams of investments in securities, including 95.32% in state treasury bonds, Ameriabank (6.672 billion Drams and 95.80% respectively), and Unibank ( 6.1 billion and 99,55% respectively). There are 22 commercial banks in Armenia with 365 branches. ($1 – 383.07 Drams). -0-