Indonesia's BNI gets $150 mln loans from StanChart

JAKARTA, Feb 22 (Reuters) - Indonesia's fourth-largest lender, PT Bank Negara Indonesia Tbk (BNI) BBNI.JK, has secured $150 million in loans from Standard Chartered Bank (STAN.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), a joint statement from both banks said late on Wednesday.

The statement said the loans, which mature in three years, will be used by BNI to strengthen its capital base and finance business expansion.

BNI, 76.4 percent owned by the Indonesian government after it sold a 23 percent stake in the bank in August 2007, has a strong presence in corporate and retail banking.

It had total assets of around 172.5 trillion rupiah ($18.81 billion) as of Sept. 30, 2007.

"The loans from an international bank show that BNI's reputation and credibility are good. It also shows that international banks are confident about Indonesia's economy," Gatot M. Suwondo, BNI's new president director, said in a statement.

BNI said in January it estimated its 2007 net profit rose about 20 percent to 2.3 trillion rupiah. The state-owned bank posted a 2006 net profit of 1.9 trillion rupiah.

BNI shares were trading 1.2 percent lower at 1,690 rupiah at 0330 GMT, compared with a 0.2 percent fall in the broader market .JKSE. ($1=9,172 rupiah) (Reporting by Nury Sybli, writing by Muhamad Al Azhari, editing by Sugita Katyal and Ben Tan)