China Construction Bank eyes faster loan growth

HONG KONG/BEIJING, Aug 25 (Reuters) - China Construction Bank (0939.HK), the country's second-largest lender by assets, said on Monday it expects full-year growth in local-currency lending this year of 10 percent, implying faster growth in the second half.

In the first half, the bank's domestic currency lending rose by 7.6 percent.

President Zhang Jianguo issued the loan growth target on Monday at a briefing in Beijing. On Friday, the lender posted a 71 percent jump in first-half net income to 58.7 billion yuan (US$8.6 billion), thanks to higher fee income and margins, in line with market forecasts. (US$=6.8434) (Reporting by Victoria Bi and Eadie Chen; writing by Tony Munroe) (tony.munroe@reuters.com; Reuters Messaging: tony.munroe.reuters.com@reuters.net; +852 2843 6358, Fax +852 2845 0636))