SOUTH African industrial group Dorbyl Ltd said this week slow domestic economic growth had capped earnings gains in the first half of the 2001 financial year, but it hoped to improve profits. The transport to building systems group reported interim headline earnings per share at 205.5 cents versus 205.3 previously. ”The anticipated economic growth has not materialised and actual growth has been disappointing, although some improvement has been noted in a few sectors,” CEO Bill Cooper said in a statement. Dorbyl has disposed of a number of operations within automotive components subsidiary Midas Ltd and sold three branches of steel producer Baldwins to Trident Steel subject to approval by the country’s Competition Tribunal. – Reuters