JOHANNESBURG, Feb 21 (Reuters) – Assore Ltd , South African base minerals and metals producer, said on Wednesday its interim profit rose 12 percent compared with a year earlier, underpinned by improved volumes and a favourable dollar price. Headline earnings per share (HEPS) for the six months ended Dec. 31, 2017, rose to 23.55 rand ($2.00) per share compared with 21.05 rand in the year-ago period, the Johannesburg-based company said. HEPS is the main profit measure used in South Africa that strips out certain one-off items. „Improved volumes across our range of products and better USD prices for all commodities in our basket, except chrome ore, were enough to overcome a 6 percent strengthening of the rand,“ said chief executive officer Charles Walters.

 

($1 = 11.7600 rand)