DUBAI- Saudi Arabia's National Commercial Bank (NCB), the country's largest lender, on Tuesday reported a 5.7 percent rise in first-quarter net profit.

NCB made a net profit of 3.16 billion riyals ($842.7 million) in the three months to March 31, up from 2.99 billion riyals a year earlier, it said in a statement.

Deposits at the bank, which has perhaps the closest links to the government, were little changed year on year at 309.7 billion riyals at the end of March. 

Loans and advances at the end of March stood at 268.7 billion riyals, up 6.3 percent.

Quarterly operating income rose by 4 percent to 4.95 billion riyals. ($1 = 3.7500 riyals)

(Reporting by Stanley Carvalho Editing by David Goodman) ((stanley.carvalho@thomsonreuters.com; + 9712 6444431; Reuters Messaging: stanley.carvalho.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))