China's Bank of Communications Co Ltd (BoCom), reported a 1.44% rise in first-quarter net profit amid a slowing economy. BoCom, the first among five of the nation's biggest state banks reporting first-quarter results, booked a net profit of 24.99 billion yuan ($3.45 billion) in the three months ended March, up from 24.63 billion yuan in the same period last year, the bank said in a filing on Friday. China's lenders face shrinking profitability as they are urged to reduce interest rates on loans to help bolster flagging sectors as lending demand falls.
The defending champion Crusaders fanned their faint playoff hopes in Super Rugby Pacific Friday with a six-try, 39-0 win over the fourth-placed Melbourne Rebels. The win was only the Crusaders’ second in nine games this season but temporarily bounced them off the bottom of the championship ladder and brightened their chances of reaching the quarterfinals with five matches remaining. The Christchurch-based Crusaders fielded the biggest pack they could find and crushed the Rebels’ scrum, winning penalties and territory through the first 30 minutes.
The first round of the 2024 NFL draft is over, but there are still plenty of good players available heading into Round 2.