WARSAW -(Dow Jones)- Bank Handlowy w Warszawie SA (BHW.WA), Citigroup Inc.'s (C) Polish unit, Tuesday said its second-quarter net profit rose 52% compared with a year earlier as interest income grew and the bank took profits on debt instruments amid falling yields. MAIN FACTS: --Bank Handlowy's second-quarter net profit rose to 230.8 million zlotys ($69.9 million) from PLN151.4 million a year earlier. --Net interest income grew 6% on the year to PLN368.8 million. --Net fee and commission income fell 9.8% to PLN151.2 million. --Writedowns for non-performing loans totaled PLN20 million, higher than PLN15.3 million a year earlier. --Profit on trading of financial instruments and debt securities increased sharply, partly due to lower yields. --Bank Handlowy said signs of economic slowdown in Poland became visible in the second quarter and May was the first month since early 2011 when the combined net profit of the Polish banking sector was below PLN1 billion, largely on bad loans given to companies in the construction sector. Write to Marcin Sobczyk at marcin.sobczyk@dowjones.com Subscribe to WSJ: http://online.wsj.com?mod=djnwires
