<<Print>>

The bottle maker and drinks giant Coca-Cola reported an 18% rise in profits to $2.8bn (�1.73bn) in the second quarter compared with last year. The increase was fuelled by sales to Asia and Europe, with Chinese demand up 24%. Despite higher worldwide sales, the company saw no quarterly growth in North America. Coca-Cola plans to raise prices on its range of drinks, which include Fanta and Sprite, to reflect higher costs. The price, said the company, would go up by between 3-4%. The results were "well ahead" of the company's long-term growth targets according to its Chairman and Chief Executive, Muhtar Kent.