YEREVAN, October 21. / ARKA /. The total outstanding credit portfolio of Armenia-based commercial banks amounted to 1.692.5 trillion drams as of September 30, having increased by almost 11 percent from the beginning of the year, according to the findings of an ARKA study.

The leading bank in terms of lending was the Russian-owned VTB Bank (Armenia) - 203.5 billion drams, an increase of 29.47% from the beginning of the year.

It was followed by Ameriabank - 172.4 billion drams (up 10.62 %), ACBA -CREDIT AGRICOLE BANK - 167.5 billion drams (up 5.19 %), Ardshiinvestbank - about 161 billion drams (an increase of 21.31%), HSBC Bank Armenia - 133.6 billion drams (an increase of 2.92 %).

Armenian banks' assets at the end of the third quarter stood at 2.719.6 trillion drams (13.54 percent up from the beginning of the year), their liabilities stood at 2 274.6 trillion drams (up 14.21 %) and their total capital at 444.9 billion drams (up 10.21 %). ($ 1 - 406.11 drams). -0-