Prudential UK new business profit up 17%

UK new business profit was £277m, up from £194m for the same period in 2011. Prudential said this is linked to an 8% increase in total sales at £617m up from £569m, a rise principally due to higher sales of individual annuities, with-profits bonds and bulk annuities. Across the group, year-to-date new business profit was up 13% to £1.7bn. Sales rose 14% to £3.1bn in what Prudential called a "challenging environment". Profit in Asia, where Prudential makes nearly half its sales, was up 15%, against increases of 10% and 17% in the United States and Britain respectively. Tidjane Th...