The overall group saw a 33 per cent increase in pre-tax profit to £373.9m, with basic earnings per share increasing 37 per cent to 107.7p.
Peter Harrison, group chief executive, said: “The business performed strongly during the first half of the year, delivering a 33 per cent increase in profits. These results reflect the benefit of our organic growth initiatives, strong investment performance and our leadership position in sustainability.
“Markets have benefitted from a combination of low interest rates, quantitative easing and a belief that inflationary pressures are transitory. If these pressures persist, or indeed the recovery in economic growth disappoints, we would expect increased market volatility. We are confident our business will continue to generate value for our clients, shareholders and wider stakeholders.”
sally.hickey@ft.com
