China Merchants plans to double in size

China Merchants Holdings (International) said by adding 10 berths a year and making other port investments, the company would double its capitalization to HK$50 billion in five years. In the process, it said it would become a constituent stock in the Hong Kong market's Hang Seng Index. Executives made the claims after announcing first-half net profit had jumped 34% year on year, to HK$831.62 million on sales of HK$1.12 billion, a 13% increase on the same period a year earlier.