S.Africa's Capitec interim profit plunges 78%

South African lender Capitec reported a 78% slump in half-year profit on Wednesday, at the bottom of its forecast range, after the coronavirus crisis prompted a spike in bad debt charges.

The bank said its headline earnings per share - the main profit measure in South Africa - for the period stood at 537 cents ($0.3169), versus 2,545 cents a year earlier.

($1 = 16.9463 rand)

(Reporting by Emma Rumney; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)