Operator

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the conference call of KBC Group Earnings Release First Quarter 2026. [Operator Instructions] I would now like to turn the floor over to Kurt De Baenst, General Manager, Investor Relations. Please go ahead. Thank you.

Kurt De Baenst
General Manager of Investor Relations Office

Thank you, operator. Also from my side, a very good morning to all of you from the headquarters of KBC in Brussels, and welcome to the KBC conference call. Today is Tuesday, May 12, 2026, and we are hosting the conference call on the first quarter results of KBC. As usual, we have Johan Thijs, Group CEO, with us; as well as Group CFO, Bartel Puelinckx, and they will both elaborate on the results. As such, it's my pleasure to give the floor to our CEO, Johan Thijs, who will quickly run you through the presentation.

Johan Thijs
Group CEO, MD & Executive Director

Thank you very much, Kurt. And also from my side, a warm welcome on the announcement of the first quarter results of 2026. And despite the fact that we have been working in a very rough environment, the geopolitical turmoil was not creating the best environment for financial institutions. Despite all that turmoil, the results in the first quarter were excellent with a return on tangible equity of 16%, totaling