Credit Agricole reported a sharp rise in its core capital ratio to 12.4 percent, as the bank took advantage of higher profits and a sale of a stake in investment company Eurazeo to beef up its financial position.
An improving economic activity in its core European markets, coupled with a slight increase in interest rates and cost cuts, helped drive its second-quarter net income up 17 percent to 1.35 billion euros ($1.60 billion).
