ANSA with H1 profits of US$6.1mn

Trinidadian ANSA Finance (AFMB) and Merchant Bank (AMB) along with T&T Insurance Company (TATIL) posted half-year profits of TTD$37.5mn (US$6.1mn), local daily The Trinidad Guardian reported. The group registered total revenue of TTD$130.3mn during the first six months of the year, as well as TTD$47.9mn in operating profits. The parent company AFMB saw revenues rise 23.4% to TTD$57.9mn in the first half of 2004 compared to same-period last year, which represented 44.5% of the group's total revenue. AFMB saw its total assets increase 91% to TTD$1.7bn as a result of the TATIL merger, while the group's assets reached TTD$2.1bn by the end of June this year. ANSA Finance and Merchant Bank merged with TATIL in May of this year in order to gain a greater underwriting share of local bond issues.