Standard Chartered Group announced that in the third quarter ended at the end of September, statutory profit before tax was US$633 million, a year-on-year decrease of 54.49%. Basic profit before tax was US$1.316 billion, down 2.23% year-on-year. Operating income was US$4.523 billion, up 4.48% year-on-year. Standard Chartered took a credit impairment charge of $294 million last quarter, including further charges related to China's commercial real estate industry. Standard Chartered Group reduced the carrying value of its investment in Bohai Bank by US$697 million. (Economic Journal)