The aggregate net profits of China's listed banks grew at a slightly slower pace in the first half (H1) of 2017, according to a report released Wednesday by consultancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).

The net profits of 39 listed banks grew 4.5 percent year on year to 849.7 billion yuan (128 billion U.S. dollars) in H1, down 0.5 percentage points compared with the the same period last year, the report said.

Net interest income at large commercial banks grew relatively quickly and was the main driver of the profit growth.

The return on total assets (ROA) and return on equity (ROE) fell at all banks during H1. Excluding large commercial banks, overall ROA fell below 1 percent.

As of June 30, total assets for the 39 listed banks reached nearly 162 trillion yuan, up 4.21 percent from the end of 2016.