NRMA and AMP will announce their second-half results this week, and analysts are tipping lower profits thanks to falling investment returns.

AMP’s result is due tomorrow, with the Australian Financial Review predicting a relatively flat second half of 2000 will produce a pre-abnormals profit for 2000 of about $1.1 billion.

NRMA, Australia’s largest general insurer, appears to be falling short in its second half result. The analysts believe the figure for the six months will be “somewhere between $25 million and $50 million”. That’s a big stretch. An even bigger stretch would be needed for the present half-year if NRMA is to reach its prospectus forecast of a $272 million net profit at June 30 2001. NRMA reports on Friday.