Unilever raises FY outlook following strong H1, Barclays interim profits up 17pc

Unilever lifted its full-year outlook after a strong first half, with underlying sales growth up 4.8% in the six months ended 30 June. The consumer goods group said volumes rose 4.2% and prices added 0.6%, while operating profits increased 2.6% to €4.9bn. For the second half, it expects underlying sales to grow between 4% and 5%, led by pricing, and forecasts full-year sales growth of 4% to 6%. Croda also posted higher interim profits, with adjusted operating profit up 6.7% to £155.8m and second-quarter sales up 9%. Barclays reported a 17% jump in first-half profits to £6bn pre-tax.