UK fund 3i realises 307 million pounds of assets

LONDON, Nov 12 (Reuters) - British private equity firm 3i realised 307 million pounds ($466.82 million) of assets in the half year to the end of September, and saw its net asset value (NAV) per share rise despite what it described as a deteriorating market environment.

Diluted NAV rose 12 percent on the previous year to 401 pence. 3i invested 208 million pounds over the period and said it would pay an interim dividend of six pence a share.

However total returns on shareholders' funds fell to 4.4 percent, down from 7.1 percent the previous year. ($1 = 0.6576 pounds) (Reporting By Freya Berry; editing by Emiliano Mellino)