Standard Bank Group, Africa’s largest lender by assets, reported a 10 percent increase in headline earnings to 26.1 billion Rand for the first half of 2026. This growth was driven by robust fee and trading income alongside lower credit impairment charges, which successfully offset pressure on net interest margins. Reflecting strong performance, the bank declared a record interim dividend of 902 cents per share. While net interest margins narrowed to 472 basis points due to competitive pricing and interest rate shifts, the group’s diversified revenue streams sustained profitability.