shareholders approved a gross per-share dividend of 160 Moldovan lei on its2015 profit, up from 100 lei offered for the previous year, local portalNewsmaker reported April 28, adding that the after-tax amount will be 150 leiper share.

Theapproval came despite the Moldovan central bank recently blocking shareholdervarious rights, including those to receive dividends. The dividends, which willremain undistributed due to the central bank's actions, as well as 211 millionlei from the lender's 377 million lei profit will be used to bolster itscapital, the news report said.

Thecentral bank initially sanctioned four Agroindbank shareholders holding a 3.53%stake in the bank and later expanded the sanctions to a further 20 jointly owning39.58% of the shares. The regulator also terminated the powers of the bank'sadministrative board members, Stela Pahomi, Elena Maiorova and Nicolae Ciornîi.On March 22, Pahomi was arrested on suspicion of obtaining Agroindbank sharesillegally and money laundering.

As of April 27, US$1 wasequivalent to 19.74 Moldovan lei.