CLOTHING and household goods retailer Mr Price reported an 18% drop in interim headline earnings, blaming tough economic conditions and start-up costs for its Chilean operation. Mr Price, which primed the market in a profit warning last week, unveiled headline earnings per share at 11.7c versus 14.2c in the 27 weeks to September 1999. The results are worse than expected as Mr Price had forecast a 12% drop in the headline interim earnings per share. – Reuters