IN BRIEF (Page 13)

Anta first-half net up

Anta Sports Products Ltd, China's largest maker of athletic shoes, said first-half profit increased 40 percent as it opened new stores and demand for sportswear increased in the country. Net income in the six months ended June 30 rose to 608.3 million yuan from 434.3 million yuan a year earlier, the company said in a statement to the Hong Kong bourse yesterday. Sales rose 27.7 percent to 2.8 billion yuan. The Fujian province-based company added 462 stores in China in the first half, taking the total number of outlets to 6,129. It sold 16.4 million pairs of shoes in the first half, 26.6 percent higher than the same period last year.

JV to sell train suspensions