Saudi Arabia's second-biggest lender Samba Financial Group added more provisions for loan loss during the second quarter, although these fell 41 per cent year-on-year, bourse data showed on Saturday.

The much-smaller Saudi Investment Bank (SAIB) meanwhile raised its provisions for loan loss in the second quarter to SR300 million ($80 million), up 400 per cent compared to the same period last year.

The data showed Saudi banks are pressing on with a clean-up of their loan portfolios after defaults by some local firms.

Samba booked SR57.4 million for loan losses during the second quarter, compared to SR97.9 million a year earlier.-Reuters