Kaupthing Bank Net earnings of ISK 34.1 billion (EUR 313 million) - Shareholders' net earnings for the first half of ISK 34.1 billion (ISK 45.8 billion H1 2007) - Annualised return on equity of 19.8% in the first half (32.0% H1 2007) - Core income (net interest income and net fee and commission income) up by 15.3% to ISK 73.4 billion in the first half (ISK 63.6 billion H1 2007) - Deposits increased by ISK 400 billion (EUR 2.7 billion) in the second quarter - Deposit to loan ratio up from 36% to 44% in the second quarter - Shareholders' equity increased by ISK 78.6 billion in the first half - The Capital Ratio remains strong at 11.2% and the Tier 1 ratio was 9.3% - Total assets of ISK 6,604 billion (EUR 53.1 billion) at the end of June, increasing by 23.5% in ISK but down by 9.0% in euros from the beginning of 2008 - Shareholders' net earnings for second quarter of ISK 15.4 billion (ISK 25.5 billion Q2 2007) - Annualised return on equity for second quarter of 16.1% (36.6% Q2 2007) - Core income (net interest income and net fee and commission income) in second quarter up 17.4% to ISK 41.1 billion (ISK 35.0 billion from Q2 2007) - Net interest income covers all costs in second quarter Hreidar Már Sigurdsson, CEO "Kaupthing continues to perform well. Return on equity for the first half of 2008 was 20% and it is satisfying to see the Bank meet its ROE target in the face of the upheaval on the financial markets. Our main achievement has been to successfully protect our equity and liquidity positions. The Bank's equity hedge and indexed assets have protected the Bank against the turmoil in the Icelandic economy. We have made excellent progress in recent months in raising deposits, which are up 28% in the second quarter, and we are confident that the Bank will reach its goal of a 50% deposit/loan ratio by the end of the year. The Bank is therefore well funded and liquidity remains solid. Kaupthing is susceptible to the turbulence on the international markets like other banks, and this is underlined by the lower financial income and higher impairment on loans. However, Kaupthing's business is well diversified geographically, risk management is robust and the quality of assets remains good. We therefore believe our asset portfolio is well able to contend with the continuing market unrest."

Further information For further information on the results please contact Frída Filipina Fatalla, Investor Relations, on +354 444 6192. Information on Kaupthing Bank is also available on the Bank's website www.kaupthing.com

About Kaupthing Bank Kaupthing Bank is a Northern European bank offering integrated financial services to companies, institutional investors and individuals. These services include corporate and retail banking, investment banking, capital markets services, treasury services, asset management and comprehensive wealth management for private banking clients.

The Bank operates in all of the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden) and in 6 other countries in Europe (the UK, Luxembourg, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany and the Isle of Man), as well as the US, the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC). In Denmark, Kaupthing Bank operates under the name FIH Erhvervsbank.



LINK: http://hugin.info/133944/R/1239369/265449.pdf



LINK: http://hugin.info/133944/R/1239369/265452.pdf

Kaupthing Bank

http://www.kaupthing.com

ISIN: IS0000001469

Stock Identifier: XOME.KAUP

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