The after-tax profit of Erste Bank Hungary climbed 25% y/y to HUF113bn (€280mn) in Q1-Q3 despite weak demand in corporate lending, the Austrian-owned lender announced on November 4. Erste Bank was the fifth-largest lender in terms of assets at the end of 2023, with HUF4.8 trillion in assets, and was in the top three in the number of clients, branches and ATMs. Hungarian banks posted a record HUF972bn profit in H1, boosted by dividend payments and one-offs, which translates into an impressive 25% ROE ratio. Lenders have seen their financial burdens eased, after the government allowed banks to r…