PAPER and pulp group Sappi reported a ”strong” cashflow for the first six months of the year with cash generated by operations of R1,9-billion. Net finance costs were however up by some R50-million due to a reduction in interest capitalised. Although Sappi’s results in the six months to March,continued pressure on paper prices worldwide saw earnings per share fall to 69 cents against 84 cents in the same quarter last year. Chairman Eugene van As said that paper pulp prices appeared to have bottomed out during the March quarter with increases of between $20 and $40 per ton being implemented in most markets. He said that with a decrease in producer pulp inventories in April further price increases should be possible. Sappi