The Bank of France posted a record net profit of 2.46 billion euros ($3.27 billion) in 2008 and handed a 1.845 billion euro dividend over to the state, the central bank said on Friday. In its annual report, it also said it had sold 103 tonnes of gold during the year for 2 billion euros, taking it close to the upper limit of sales it had announced under the Central Bank Gold Agreement.
"The BoF results reached a historic level thanks to revenues from investments and control of operating costs," the bank said in a statement. The BoF also said it had taken a charge of 1.184 billion euros related to potential losses at other central banks in the euro system from holdings of structured products.