Georgia's largest retail lender TBC Bank's 2018 profit rises

(Reuters) - Georgia's biggest retail bank TBC Bank Group Plc reported a 21.5 percent jump in full-year earnings, as lending remained strong on the back of a strong macroeconomic performance in the former Soviet republic.

TBC, Georgia's largest retail bank, said profit rose to 437.4 million laris (126.8 million pounds) in the 12 months ended Dec.31 from 359.9 million laris a year earlier.

In a separate statement, the lender's unit, TBC Bank JSC, said it would pay about 1 million laris to Georgia's central bank in relation to an earlier disclosed investigation into certain transactions.

(Reporting by Muvija M in Bengaluru)