KUWAIT, 27 October 2005 — Kuwait’s Al-Ahlia Investment Co. reported an 82 percent rise in nine-month profits of 34 million dinars ($116.4 million) yesterday, more than half of which were pending asset sales declared as earnings. The company said in a statement on the Kuwait bourse website after the market closed that profits rose from 18.7 million dinars in the first nine months of 2004. Earnings per share rose to 59.8 fils from 32 fils. Third-quarter profits increased to about 24 million dinars from 9.5 million in the same period in 2004. Ahlia said its nine-month earnings included unrealized gains of nearly 19 million dinars.