Nairobi, Aug. 19 -- Standard Chartered Bank Kenya has increased its interim dividend payout despite posting a 16.8 percent drop in net profit for the half year ended June 2026.

The lender posted Sh6.7 billion for the first six months of the year compared to Sh8 billion posted in the previous review period.

StanChart's management, however, declared an interim dividend of Sh8.50 per share, up from Sh8 paid last year, but did not disclose the timeline of the payout.

The profit drop follows a 34.8 percent decline in interest earned from government securities, with the lender having reduced its investment in Treasury bills and bonds to Sh96.9 billion from Sh103 billion a year earlier.

StandChart increased its lending to the productive priv...