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Prudential boosts operating profit

Global insurer Prudential has booked a 13% increase in first-half operating profit as the company beat forecast earnings.

While net figures were not immediately available, Prudential recorded a half-year operating profit of £674 million ($1.43 billion), as group new business climbed 12% to £1.5 billion ($3.18 billion).

New business growth among insurance lines in Asia was 14%, building on the 48% surge in new business during the comparable period last year.

Prudential had 11% new business growth in the UK though growth in the US market was flat at 1%.