Company News in Brief

Seacon Holdings, the shipping, cargo storage and hotels operator, has lifted pre-tax profits to pounds 1.05m ( pounds 717,000) in the six months to March, despite a marginal fall in turnover to pounds 9.5m ( pounds 9.6m). Interim dividend is increased by a third to 2p (1.5p).

Huntingdon International, which provides biological safety testing through engineering and environmental services, reported a fall in third-quarter pre-tax profits from pounds 4.8m to pounds 3.2m, taking the total for the nine months so far to pounds 10.2m ( pounds 12.1m).

New Ireland Holdings, the life assurance business, made Ir pounds 2.6m ( pounds 2.5m) pre-tax profit in the half year to 30 June, from Ir pounds 2.65m. Interim dividend is 3.3p.

Save & Prosper Linked Investment Trust maintained pre-tax profits at pounds 3.3m for the year to 30 June. Final dividend is 17.5p, making a total unchanged at 47.4p per income share.

Mid Wynd International Investment Trust's net asset value per share declined from 290.5p previously to 280.9p as at 30 June. It is paying a final dividend of 3.6p, making an improved total of 6p (5.7p) for the year to 30 June.