The company said in a filing with the Stock Exchange of Thailand yesterday that its second-quarter profit had jumped 98.93 per year on year from Bt125.51 million.

Its net profit for the first half also rose by 92.85 per cent, from Bt223.37 million to Bt430.76 million.

The robust quarterly net profit was mainly attributable to increases in brokerage fees as well as other fees and service income. During the period, its average daily stock turnover rose 31 per cent year on year to Bt1.86 billion, though the SET's average daily trading volume fell 1.62 per cent.

Phatra's brokerage fees from securities business increased 32.89 per cent from Bt197.82 million in the second quarter of 2005 to Bt262.89 million in the same period this year. In addition, its market share reached 5.99 per cent in the second quarter, compared with 4.5 per cent last year.

Fees and services income in the second quarter were Bt335.41 million, an increase of Bt228.82 million from Bt106.6 million in the same quarter of 2005 The increase was primarily due to an underwriting fee from the initial public offerings of Rayong Refinery Plc and Thai Beverage Plc.

The rise in the company's interest and dividend income and higher profits from securities trading and brokerage fees from derivatives business - starting from April this year - also gave the company's second-quarter earnings a boost. Phatra's stock yesterday closed 1.2 per cent higher at Bt42 in response to the solid earnings.

Meanwhile, Seamico Securities reported that its second-quarter net profit slid 39 per cent year on year to Bt35.01 million.

Its first-half net earnings slumped from Bt162.68 million to Bt112.06 million.

Seamico's brokerage fees dropped by Bt44 million or 22 per cent year on year and 42 per cent quarter on quarter, due to the decline in the SET's average daily trading volume.