French bank Societe Generale is forecasting a significant drop in 2012 investment-bank revenue compared with 2011, weighed by higher funding costs and efforts to slash its balance sheet, according to an internal memo obtained by Reuters on Monday.

France's second-biggest listed bank has also decided to exit or strongly reduce property, shipping and aircraft financing activities, as well as physical energy trading in North America, according to the 245-page memo sent to employee representatives.

(SocGen) CIB expects a significant drop in revenues for 2012 compared with 2011, weighed by higher charges linked to funding and balance-sheet reduction, the memo said.

A spokeswoman for SocGen declined to comment.

(Reporting by Lionel Laurent and Matthieu Protard)

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