The lender, 55.6-percent owned by state fund Investment Corp of Dubai, made a net profit of 1.56 billion dirhams (263.4 million pounds) in the three months to September 30, a statement from the bank said, compared to 775 million dirhams in the same period last year.

The figure well exceeded the average forecast of five analysts polled by Reuters, who expected the bank to make a net profit of 1.16 billion dirhams.

ENBD's earnings have been given a lift in recent quarters by a resurgence in the Dubai economy, which has been boosted by a strengthening property market and a scaling down of debt troubles after a severe financial crisis.

In the third quarter, impairment allowances worth 1.22 billion dirhams were allocated, down from the 1.52 billion dirhams recorded in the same period of 2013.

Much of the bank's provisioning in recent quarters has been towards boosting the bank's bad loans coverage ratios, which improved to 70.3 percent at end-September, up from 54.8 percent at the same point of 2013.

Meanwhile non-interest income -- revenue earned from fees and commissions -- jumped 55 percent year-on-year in the third quarter to 1.38 billion dirhams. Net interest income also grew by 9 percent over the same timeframe to 2.47 billion dirhams.

"It is very pleasing that each part of the business was able to deliver year-on-year revenue growth," said group chief executive Shayne Nelson in the statement.

Banks have been gradually ramping up lending activity in recent quarters as a rebound in property prices help support lenders' risk appetite, with loan growth up 7.2 percent year-on-year in August, according to the latest data from the United Arab Emirates central bank.

ENBD's lending growth slightly trailed the system figure, with an increase of 6 percent. Total loans stood at 247.7 billion dirhams at September 30, 2014.

Deposits increased by 9 percent to 249.7 billion dirhams, compared to 228.6 billion dirhams at the some point of 2013.

(Editing by David French)

By Tom Arnold