Volkswagen brand profit jumps in first half

Volkswagen reported operating profit before items at its core VW brand more than doubled to 981 million euros ($1.35 billion) in the first half from 387 million a year earlier, helped by cost cuts, it said on Friday.

Its troubled Spanish brand SEAT narrowed its first half loss to just 7 million from 61 million euros a year earlier.

Commercial Vehicles, which could merge some of its business with European truckmakers MAN and Scania, boosted its operating profit to 121 million euros in the first half from 101 million a year earlier.