RIYADH: Saudi National Bank, the Kingdom’s biggest lender, on Sunday posted a nearly 20 percent rise in third-quarter profit from higher fees. SNB reported a net profit of SR3.8 billion ($1 billion) for the quarter that ended on Sept. 30, up from SR3.2 billion in the same period a year earlier. The result was better than the SR3.6 billion average analysts’ forecast on Refinitiv Eikon data. The Saudi bank said total operating income increased by 38.4 percent mainly due to higher net special commission income, foreign exchange income and higher fees from banking services. Shares of the bank hit their highest level since listing, at SR66 on Sunday. The stock rose 1 percent during the day, with nearly 350,000 shares traded so far, Argaam reported. With over SR896 billion in total assets, SR127 billion in shareholders’ equity, and a combined net profit of SR15.6 billion, Saudi National Bank is the largest bank in Saudi Arabia with 30 percent market share across all metrics.