PRUDENTIAL RECORDS BEST RESULTS IN SIX YEARS

  &lt;Prudential Corporation Plc>, which
  earlier announced a 62 pct rise in 1986 pre-tax profits, said
  it had recorded its best general insurance result for six years
  but had not reached satisfactory levels of profit in other
  areas.
      Group Chief Executive Brian Corby told a news conference
  that despite returning to trading profits, the International
  division and the Mercantile and General division had not
  reached satisfactory levels.
      But he said he welcomed Mercantile and General trading
  profits in 1986 and was optimistic about both that and the
  International division.
      The acquisition of the U.S. Life company &lt;Jackson National>
  had a small effect in 1986 but its full effect would be felt in
  the 1987 results, Corby said.
      The Group also intended to expand the number of its estate
  agency firms bought last year, and hoped they will comprise
  between 10 and 15 pct of total company profits in the future.
      "We hope they will be very profitable very shortly. We are
  looking for profits from the estate agencies themselves as well
  as the insurance products associated with them," Corby said.
      Prudential's pre-tax profits rose from 1985's 110.1 mln stg
  to 178.1 mln stg in 1986.
  

