Eiffage beats expectations as half-year profits surge

(Reuters) - French construction and concessions company Eiffage , on Wednesday reported half-year profits ahead of analysts' expectations, as results were boosted by the Grand Paris Express contracts and motorway traffic.Eiffage's half-year operating profit rose 12.1 percent to 786 million euros (711.61 million pounds), while sales came in at 7.65 billion euros, an increase of 9.4 percent year-on-year on a reported basis.Analysts polled by Reuters had forecast first-half operating income of 783..