First-half results for Solvay

- Belgium's Solvay Group has reported results for the first half of 1995 which show net profits up 185.9% to 8.32 billion Belgian francs ($274.59 million) including extraordinary profits of 140 million francs, coming essentially from the sale of the company's crop protection activity. Sales for the period amounted to 141.63 billion francs, compared to 127.54 billion francs in the like, year-earlier period, a result largely due to the performance of the group's Human Health division in Europe and the USA, where sales have been favorably influenced by the launch of fluvoxamine. However, analysts at Goldman Sachs say the upsurge in profits (a consequence of strong growth in the plastics and alkalis business) seems spent and that second-half figures are expected to be lower.