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Important information: The value of investments can go down as well as up so you may get back less than you invest. Investors should note that the views expressed may no longer be current and may have already been acted upon. This is a third-party news feed and may not reflect Fidelity’s views.

Aviva shares spark as profit jumps 22% on price hikes, wealth inflows

(Sharecast News) - Shares in Aviva jumped to their highest level since 2007 as the UK insurer posted a 22% rise in half-year operating profit on the back of price hikes and growth in premium income. The company posted an operating profit of £1.07bn for the six-months to June 30. UK & Ireland general insurance premiums rose 9% to £4.14bn, while the wealth business saw net flows increase by 16% to £5.8bn.

The interim dividend was lifted 10% to 13.1p. Aviva's share price jumped 4% - its highest level since the banking industry caused the global financial crisis.

Aviva said it would provide more details on the impact of its £3.7bn takeover of rival Direct Line in November. The deal completed on July 1, meaning the acquisition could not be consolidated in the results. However Direct Line's motor policy customers had fell 6% to 3.7 million and its non-motor client base declined by 4% to 4.9 million.

Reporting by Frank Prenesti for Sharecast.com

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Important information: This information is not a personal recommendation for any particular investment. If you are unsure about the suitability of an investment you should speak to one of Fidelity’s advisers or an authorised financial adviser of your choice. When you are thinking about investing in shares, it’s generally a good idea to consider holding them alongside other investments in a diversified portfolio of assets. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns.

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