IXCHANGE CRASHES INTO THE RED

SOFTWARE company Ixchange has reported a larger-than-expected headline loss per share of 66.46 cents for the six months to end-December 2000. This compared to headline earnings per share of 15.19 cents a year earlier. Overall, the firm posted a headline loss of R104.5m versus a headline profit of R22.4m previously. Revenue rose 39% to R351.3m – about 90% of which was generated from international operations. CEO Derek Kreunen said he expected the company to be earnings growth orientated by the end of the 2001 financial year. – Reuters