CIB earnings in the third quarter of 2013 maintained the strength of previous quarters, with a cumulative net profit through September 2013 above that posted in the same period in 2012. The characteristics on which these good earnings figures are based are similar to those of previous periods: geographical diversification, a product mix adapted to the environment, a focus on high-value customers and the prioritization of quality of earnings and customer relationship rather than volume.
In addition, over the third quarter of 2013, CIB has continued to optimize the structure of its balance sheet in two ways: through improvement in the liquidity gap, thanks primarily to a significant recovery in deposits; and by a reduction in the concentration of fund gathering through a diversification of the customer base, which has resulted in a more stable balance sheet.