LISBON, Feb 26 (Reuters) - Portugal's state-run bank Caixa Geral de Depositos on Thursday posted a 46 percent fall in 2008 net profit to 459 million euros ($584.4 million), citing the impact of the global financial crisis which slashed the value of its assets.

Nevertheless, net interest income of the largest bank in Portugal rose 8.3 percent to 2.2 billion euros, the bank said in a statement. Client deposits rose 11.3 percent to 60.1 billion.

The market depreciation of CGD's stakes in the country's largest privately-owned bank, Millennium bcp (BCP.LS), and cable and Internet company Zon (ZON.LS), accounted for most of the slide in profit, corresponding to 220 million euros and 262 million respectively, the bank said. (Reporting by Andrei Khalip and Shrikesh Laxmidas; Editing by David Holmes)

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