Pilkington Update

Pilkington reported a 31% increase in earnings for the half-year to 30 September 2000, but investors continued to call for a share buy-back following a slump in the stock. On 26 October, Pilkington, supplier of glass for the new Bundestag building in Berlin, announced pre-tax profits before exceptional items of £102m, with an unchanged turnover of £1.36bn. The company also said it expected further growth in the second half of the year. The interim dividend was held at 1.75p/share. The group's profits had been estimated at around £96m compared to a previous £78m. Sales in its building products division rose 6% to £686m and in its vehicles division by 5% to £668m.