Swain appointed to ACE VP?s suite

Hal Holding NV, a unit of Bermuda based Hal Trust, said first-half profit rose 5.9 percent, helped by the acquisition of Mercurius Groep BV.

First-half net income was 7.2 million ($8.8 million) compared with 6.8 million over the same period last year. Net sales gained 33 percent, to 1.2 billion, from 850 million in the year-ago period.

Stock of Willemstad, Curacao-based Hal gained 40 cents, or 1.5 percent, to 27, its steepest rise in four weeks, in Amsterdam yesterday.

Imagine Group completes share offering