MUFG's first-quarter profit soars 48% on higher loan margins

TOKYO, Aug 3 : Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group booked a 48 per cent jump in first-quarter profit, it said on Monday, joining rivals in seeing earnings jump in the period as loan demand stayed strong despite volatile global markets.Japan's largest lender by assets generated 809.4 billion yen ($5.2 billion) in net profit in the April to June quarter, compared with 546 billion yen over the same period a year previously.All three of Japan's "megabanks" – Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group and Mizuho Financial Group as well as MUFG – posted record annual income last year and have forecast new records for the year ending March 2027.The banking sector has been among the greatest beneficiaries of the end of deflation in Japan, which has encouraged Japanese firms to borrow to fund investments at home a