Big buys swell CRH's first-half profits

American momentum and European recovery helping business, says chief executive

CRH chief executive Albert Manifold Pic: RollingNews.ie

Building materials group CRH has reported a big jump in pre-tax profits for the first half of this year, with a better than expected figure of €407m. This compares with a profit of €63m in the same period a year earlier, though this year's figure was boosted bysignificant acquisitions last year.

Revenue was up 35 per cent to just under €12.7 billion, while earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation more than doubled ...