A strong performance from its insurance operations has helped Amsterdam-based international financial services company ING Group meet most analysts' expectations for its results for the first six months of 2001.
Operational net profit grew 16% to E2,403m (£1,516m), compared with the same period last year. A large part of that performance was due to a 28.4% rise in net profit from insurance operations to E1,463m (£923m).
ING said there had been positive contributions from both the life and non-life businesses.
Net profit from banking operations rose 0.9%, to E940m (£593m), while assets under management grew 7.2% to E539.2bn (£340.2bn).
Chairman of ING's executive board, Ewald Kist, said: “Thanks to the good mix of businesses, in terms of geography, products and distribution channels, ING was able to weather the adverse economic climate and stock market conditions.”
