(by M. Riley) 

Royal Bank of Scotland said first half pre-tax profits rose 12% to 3.85 billion pounds, with income rising 20%  to 10.94 billion pounds on rising lending, a more than doubling of insurance premiums and credit card fees. Analysts had forecast the pretax profit before exceptionals to be between 3.78 billion and 3.85 billion pounds. Provisions for bad and doubtful debts were virtually flat at 751 million pounds vs. 742 million a year ago.