(by Geck Finn)

The French insurer AGF said yesterday 72.1 percent-controlled Euler Hermes is in talks to sell its 49.1 percent stake in Eurofactor to Credit Agricole. Eurofactor is its last remaining non-strategic banking asset, AGF said, and the deal expected by the end of the year will value Eurofactor at 383 million euros. It separately sold its Dutch health insurance portfolio to ONVZ for an undisclosed price. The unit represented around 15 percent of its Dutch lift and health premium income, it said.

Insurer MetLife reported on Wednesday second quarter 2004 net income of $842 million, or $1.11 per share, compared to $580 million, or 79 cents per share a year ago. On an operating basis, the company earned $668 million, or 88 cents per share, compared to $620 million, or 84 cents per share. According to Thomson Fist Call, analysts it polled expected the company to report operating earnings of 77 cents per share in the second quarter. Revenues rose to $9.7 billion in the quarter from $8.9 billion a year ago.