Plus500 returns money to shareholders, eyes expansion despite profit drop
Shareholder returns of $120 mlnHY core profit down 43% Y-O-YShares up as much as 6%Aug 14 (Reuters) - Online trading platform Plus500 (PLUSP.L) announced on Monday it would return $120 million to shareholders through dividends and share buybacks and said it was looking at further international expansion through acquisitions.The London-listed company posted a 43% slump in core profit in the first half as market volatility declined. However, earnings were up 17% sequentially from the second half of last year.Shares in the company rose by as much as 6%.Trading platforms are dealing with a slowdown in client activity, as market volatility eased from highs witnessed during Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year and the pandemic."We are very much positive about the future for the second half .....