LONDON (ShareCast) - Xaar posted slightly higher interim profits but shares dropped after the printing group warned that lower sales in China could impact second half profitability.

The group said it is not immune from the current international economic issues affecting the global printing market. Specifically, there is increased uncertainty with the demand from China for its Platform 1 products over the next few months.

“We now believe sales to China will be lower than previously expected for the second half of the year and this will have some effect on second half profitability,” said chairman Paul Lawler.

Profit before tax increased to £3.8m from £3.1m in the same period last year despite lower than expected sales into China, which resulted in turnover falling to £22.5m from £23.4m before.

Data management specialist SDL was also among today’s fallers. The group announced yesterday that it has agreed a contract worth more than $750,000 with analytics and decision management technology Fair Isaac Corporation.

The deal is for SDL’s Translation Management System and Trisoft Infoshare component based content management software licenses, support and maintenance and associated professional services.

FTSE TechMARK - Fallers
Xaar (XAR) 107.75p -11.32%
Oxford Biomedica (OXB) 9.60p -6.34%
Turbo Power Systems (TPS) 2.62p -4.55%
Renovo Group (RNVO) 37.25p -2.61%
Psion (PON) 86.50p -1.98%
CML Microsystems (CML) 84.00p -1.75%
SDL International (SDL) 355.25p -1.59%
Torotrak (TRK) 18.00p -1.37%
Gresham Computing (GHT) 74.50p -1.32%
Alizyme (AZM) 8.20p -1.20%

FTSE TechMARK - Risers
Trafficmaster (TFC) 30.25p +5.22%
Parity Group (PTY) 30.50p +5.17%
Phytopharm (PYM) 17.50p +2.94%
Biocompatibles International (BII) 173.50p +2.81%
Vtech (VTH) 282.50p +2.54%
Sepura (SEPU) 68.50p +2.24%
Alphameric (ALM) 24.50p +2.08%
Anite Group (AIE) 37.50p +1.35%
Axon Group (AXO) 501.50p +1.31%
Corin Group (CRG) 143.50p +1.06%

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