/ 1 August 2007

Mondi profit up, sees cost, currency pressure

Paper producer Mondi said on Wednesday its first-half underlying operating profit rose 46% and expected continued pressure from higher input costs and a weak United States dollar.

Mondi, spun off from mining group Anglo American in July, reported half-year underlying operating profit of €243-million and a 62% rise in pre-tax profit to €203-million.

”We expect to see continued pressure from rising input costs and weakness of the US dollar. However the positive trends in Mondi’s key business segments are expected to continue and the board is confident of achieving good progress for the year as a whole,” it said in a statement. – Reuters