Payments firm Network International's half-year profit rises 9%

(Reuters) - Payments firm Network International Holdings posted a 9.1% rise in its half-year profit on Thursday, buoyed by steady merchant wins and growth in its outsourced payments services business.

The company, which agreed to be acquired by Canada's Brookfield Asset Management in June, reported a profit for the six months ended June 30 of $34.9 million, up from about $32 million a year earlier.

Profits were, however, slightly offset by higher net interest expense due to rising benchmark rates and a higher effective tax rate on growing profits across Africa, the company added.

(Reporting by Eva Mathews in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi Aich)