* H1 adj EBITDA at 1.37 bln euros, up 20%
* Results give tailwind for E.ON/Innogy deal - CEO
* Shares indicated up 1.7%(Adds CEO comment, details on results, shares)
FRANKFURT, Aug 14 (Reuters) - RWE, Germany'slargest power producer, on Wednesday said its core profit roseby a fifth in the first half of 2019, boosted by astronger-than-expected performance at its energy trading unit.
First-half adjusted earnings before interest, tax,depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) jumped 20% to 1.37billion euros ($1.53 billion), the group said in a statement.
The rise comes just before RWE's transformation intoEurope's third-largest renewable power producer, a direct resultof a far-reaching asset swap with peer E.ON thatinvolves RWE's subsidiary Innogy.
"The strong operating result gives us tailwind for thecoming months, which will be one of the most exciting periods inour company's history," Chief Executive Rolf Martin Schmitzsaid.
RWE shares were indicated to open 1.7% higher as thesecond-biggest gainers among German blue-chips.
The robust performance at RWE's Supply & Trading divisionled the group to raise its 2019 forecast in late-July. The groupnow expects adjusted EBITDA to come in at between 1.4 billioneuros and 1.7 billion euros, and net income of 500 millioneuros-800 million euros.
($1 = 0.8953 euros)(Reporting by Christoph Steitz; Editing by Thomas Seythal andSherry Jacob-Phillips)