Arab Cement’s Operating Profit Up

RIYADH, 10 July 2005 — Saudi Arabia’s Arab Cement Co. said yesterday its first-half operating profit rose 44 percent to SR160.2 million ($42.72 million). But overall net profit fell 44 percent to SR165.8 million from a year-earlier, when the results were boosted by one-off gains from the sale of investments worth SR72 million. By 0857 GMT, shares in Arab Cement were down 0.66 percent at SR750 in a weak overall market.