FöreningsSparbanken’s President at the AGM: “We prioritise long-term market positions”

“The Swedish mortgage market is characterised, at present, by stiff competition and ever-increasing pressure on margins. Our strategy is based on defending and developing the bank’s positions throughout our core operations. We achieve this by constantly improving our customer offering and at the same time keeping our focus on long-term profitability.” The above statement was part of the address by Jan Lidén, President and CEO of FöreningsSparbanken, at the bank’s AGM held in Malmö today. “Meeting competition with measures that mean the terms we offer our customers are always advantageous enough to ensure their continued loyalty to FöreningsSparbanken is a given for us. A long-term approach by both parties is often characteristic of the relationship between a bank and its customers. Investments in lasting customer benefit may be less profitable in the short term, but they have a self-evident long term value,” said Jan Lidén. Jan Lidén also stated that the Group had confirmed and retained its strong market positions in its domestic markets, namely Sweden, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, in 2005, and that for the third year in succession, FöreningsSparbanken was the Nordic region’s most profitable listed bank. For further information: Jan Lidén, President and CEO, FöreningsSparbanken, tel: +46 8 585 922 27 Henrik Kolga, Head of Communications, FöreningsSparbanken, tel: +46 70 811 13 15