Raab Karcher AG, a tradingsubsidiary of VEBA AG &lt;VEBG.F>, said it increased operating
profit in 1986 despite a sharp decline in turnover, and added
there were good chances this profit level could be held in
1987.
    Operating profit rose to just under 120 mln marks in 1986,
from around 100 mln in 1985.
    However, the group's third party sales fell sharply to 7.2
billion marks from 9.4 billion the year before, largely due to
lower prices for energy products, particularly oil and coal,
managing board chairman Klaus Giesel told a news conference.
 Reuter
