South African lender FirstRand reports slower H1 profit rise

JOHANNESBURG, March 6 (Reuters) - South Africa's No.1 lenderby value, FirstRand, reported a 6 percent increase inhalf-year profit on Tuesday, a substantial slowdown from a yearago as a weak economy hit investment and consumption spending.

Basic diluted headline EPS came in at 224.2 cents in the sixmonths ended December compared with 211.5 cents a year earlier.This six percent profit increase was less than half the 14percent rise posted in 2017.

Headline EPS is primary measure of profit in South Africanthat strips out certain one-off items.(Reporting by Tiisetso MotsoenengEditing by Joe Brock)