DUBAI / Reuters Saudi Arabia’s National Commercial Bank (NCB), the kingdom’s largest lender, reported an 11.8 percent rise in fourth-quarter net profit, helped by a drop in expenses and lower impairment charges. The bank made a net profit of 2.56 billion riyals ($683 million) in the three months to Dec. 31, up from 2.29 billion riyals in the same period …

Bloomberg The abrupt selloff on global markets is happening as investors pull out of emerging markets at the fastest pace since the 2016 US presidential election. The withdrawal, largest in Asian countries, is a reminder that even as the region fuels the world economy’s best performance in years, it remains vulnerable to the whims of market sentiment. It could also …

Bloomberg The biggest market sell-off in more than six years isn’t denting BNP Paribas SA’s confidence, with the French bank saying that it may exceed its 2020 profitability target as Europe’s economic expansion takes hold. An improving interest-rate environment is likely to support growth, France’s largest lender said as it reported fourth-quarter profit and trading results mostly in line with …