STOCK WATCH

RECORD half-year profits failed to stop shares in plastic packaging maker RPC Group from plummeting.

The firm, which makes the plastic snap pots for Heinz beans and spaghetti, saw its profits jump 59pc to £199.2m in the six months to the end of September, helped by acquisitions, cost-cutting and favourable currency movements. Sales surged 53pc to £1.9bn.

Yesterday, it said the second half of its financial year was off to a good start. Shares fell 7.3pc, or 70p, to 894.5p.