"I have been CFO for 12 years and I had much, much, much lower capital ratios than this in the course of my time so this does represent still one of the highest capital ratios," he said, noting the bank aimed to keep its CET1 capital ratio between 13 and 14% in the second half in an uncertain environment. It stood at 13.5% at the end of June.

(Reporting by Michael Shields and Oliver Hirt; editing by Jason Neely)