IN BRIEF (Page 17)

TUI profit increases

TUI AG yesterday reported a 9-month net profit of 333.3 million euros ($485.1 million), up from 33.7 million euros for the same period in 2008.

The German travel company said the increase was mostly due to the sale of the majority stake in shipping company Hapag Lloyd AG, but also because of an increase in earnings by the company's tourism branch. The company still owns a 44.3 percent stake in Hapag Lloyd. Tourism earnings rose by 5 percent to 696 million euros.