World Cup boosts power supplier

Aggreko, which delivered broadcasting power at all 10 World Cup stadium venues in South Africa, reported a 19 per cent rise in interim profits to 127.1m.

Revenues from the World Cup, the firm's largest ever events contract by value, were 28.7m, which drove a 51 per cent increase in Aggreko's events division turnover in the first half, up to 85m from 48.5m last year.

The Glasgow-based firm said the World Cup revenues had contributed to a strong start to the second half of the year, along with a good North American performance helped by contracts supporting the oil spill clean-up in the Gulf of Mexico.

The company said it would double its dividend for shareholders and now

expects the outcome for the year to be slightly better than expectations.

Aggreko also had a boost in trade from the Vancouver Winter Olympics, Glastonbury Festival and the US Superbowl.