BNI Syariah Posts 63 Pct Surge In Sharia Financing

Jakarta, Sept 11 (Antara) - PT Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI) Syariah recorded outstanding financing at Rp10.16 trillion by August 2013 , up 63 percent from a year earlier. "The growth is higher than our target of 40-50 percent by the end of the year," Imam Teguh Saptono, the business director of the sharia subsidiary of state lender Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI), said. Imam said in the second half of 2013, sharia financing is expected to slow down amid the gloomy economic prospects. "But we are confident we would reach our financing target with good performance in the first half of the year," he said. He said his bank will refrain from offering financing service in certain sector such as construction, mining and other sectors directly affected by the instability in foreign exchange. He said sectors that promise good growth in the second half of the year include small and medium business sector, house financing sector. However, house financing service is offered only for buyers of their first houses, not for buyers who buy a second house, he said. "A second house is generally bought for investment," he said.