Chile's banking sector profit totaled 738.9 billion pesos ($1.34 billion) in the January-through-August period, the country's Banking and Financial Institutions Superintendency said on Tuesday.

In August, net income fell almost 7 percent from the prior month to 104.8 billion pesos, according to Reuters calculations.

The superintendency said Santander Chile STG.SN, Chile's largest private-sector bank, posted a profit of 255.8 billion pesos during the eight-month period. Banking earnings are reported under international accounting standards that are partially comparable on a year-on-year basis.

($1 = 550.64 Chilean pesos at the end of August)

(Reporting by Antonio de la Jara; Writing by Guillermo Parra-Bernal, editing by Gerald E. McCormick)

Earth