Marfin Popular halves 9 month net profit

NICOSIA, Nov 26 (Reuters) - Cyprus-based lender Marfin Popular Bank posted a 55.5 percent decline in net profit to shareholders at 143.9 million euros in the first nine months of the year, it said on Thursday.

On a quarterly basis, third-quarter recurring net profit rose 32 percent to 66.4 million from 50.3 million in the second quarter of this year.

Net interest income over the nine month period fell 18.1 percent to 455.9 million euros, the bank said.

(Writing by Michele Kambas, editing by Will Waterman) Keywords: MARFIN/RESULTS ([e-mail]; 357 22469607; Reuters messaging [e-mail]) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2009. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.