FirstRand

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – FirstRand Ltd., Africa’s biggest bank by market value, said fiscal first-half profit rose 13 percent after lending increased and its insurance operations sold more policies. Net income increased to 11.89 billion rand ($904 million) in the six months ended Dec. 31, from 10.48 billion rand a year earlier, the Johannesburg-based company said in a statement on Thursday. The interim dividend rose 10 percent to 1.19 rand a share, exceeding growth in so-called…