By Kosaku Narioka

Industrial & Commercial Bank of China is scheduled to report first-half results on Friday. Here is what you need to know:

NET PROFIT: ICBC's net profit is estimated to have declined 1.7% to 164.05 billion yuan, equivalent to $22.93 billion, for the first six months of 2025, according to a poll of analysts by Visible Alpha. That would compare with 166.805 billion yuan in the year-earlier period.

The lender's Hong Kong-listed stock has risen 11% so far this year, following a 36% gain in 2024, driven by hopes that Chinese policymakers will take measures to stimulate the flagging economy.

WHAT TO WATCH:

--First-quarter net interest income--the difference between interest earned on loans and that paid on deposits--dropped 2.9% from a year ago to 156.78 billion yuan, as loan interest rates have declined in the country. Investors will be focusing on any further deterioration in the bank's primary source of earnings.

--First-quarter credit impairment losses decreased 4.9% to 56.97 billion yuan. Investors will closely watch the bank's credit costs, given that U.S. tariffs have raised economic uncertainty in the world's second-biggest economy.

--The bank's nonperforming-loan ratio was 1.33% at the end of March, compared with 1.34% at the end of 2024. Investors will be paying attention to any signs of improvement in asset quality.

Write to Kosaku Narioka at kosaku.narioka@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

August 28, 2025 04:21 ET (08:21 GMT)

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