Deutsche Bank 1 - Historische Gesellschaft der Deutschen Bank e.V.

over twice the previous year's figure (US$ 1,742 m.). This
increase is attributable chiefly to the acquisitiori of im-
portant sections of the American commercial bank
"Franklin National Bank", New York, in October 1974.
Under this transaction, which involved an increase in
own funds of roughly US$100 m., about 100 branches of
the Franklin National Bank were acquired.
Thus, the two institutions now have an extensive net-
work of branches in New York and Long lsland as well
as branches in Los Angeles and San Francisco, which re-
sulted from earlier initiatives. The European-Anierican
banks today represent an important banking Partner for
numerous US subsidiaries of European companies and,
to an increasiny extent, for American multinationals as
well in American and international business.
The Banque Europeenne de Credit S.A. (BEC),
Brussels, was able to expand its business further. The
balance sheet total rose 31% against 1973 to US$ 1,627
m. The emphasis of its activities was again on medium
and long-term credit business. In the wake of changes
on the Euromarket there has also been a reduction in the
maturities of the credits extended by BEC. While loans
of up to ten years were not uncommon in 1973, rnaturi-
ties since mid-I974 have generally only been between
four and six years. lnterest margins were improved. In
the past year BEC managed or CO-managed 16 interna-
tional syndicate loans with a total volume of US$ 354 m.
The EBlC Group's London merchant bank, European
Banking Company Ltd., which was established in 1973,
ended its first full business year with a balance sheet to-
tal of US$ 403 m. It managed or CO-managed six Euro-
syndicate loans totalling roughly three billion dollars. In
the last few months, following the improvement in the
international capital market situation, the bank was able
to concentrate more on its real sphere of business. Since
its formation it has participated as underwriter in 31 issues
and was CO-manager in five instances.
The Europäisch Asiatische Bank AG, Hamburg, which
specialises in fostering trade and financial relations be-
tween Europe and Asia and operates branches in Hong
Kong, Jakarta, Karachi, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore,
expanded its business volume by more than 25% and
achieved strong growth in its lending business. The bal-
ance sheet total rose to DM 665 m. The bank was able to
extend its business further, above all with European cus-
tomers' and other international companies' subsidiaries
operating in South-East Asia.
A second important base in the East-AsianIPacific
area, Euro-Pacific Finance Corporation Ltd. (EPFC),
Melbourne, opened a branch in Port Vila (New Hebrides)
in 1974. This will enable EPFC to operate in the market
outside Australia as well. Its balance sheet total at the
end of the 1973/74 business year rose by 32% to roughly
140 m. Australian dollars (DM 450 m.).
The Europäisch-Arabische Bank GmbH, Frankfurt
(Main), and the European-Arab Bank (Brussels) S.A.,
Brussels - both subsidiaries of the European-Arab Hold-
ing S.A., Luxembourg, established in 1972 by the EBlC
Partners and leading Arab banks - was afforded good
growth prospects as a result of the rapidly expanding
economic importance of the Arab world. The Euro-
päisch-Arabische Bank, which concentrates on commer-
cial business with Arab countries, expanded its business
volume by 54% to DM 360 m. The European-Arab Bank
in Brussels, which is chiefly engaged in Eurodollar busi-
ness with the Middle East, increased its business vol-
ume by 82.5% to US$460 m.