CMC Markets reports higher first-half profit

(Reuters) - British financial spreadbetting firm CMC Markets Plc (CMCX.L) reported a 58 percent jump in first-half profit, as increased client trading helped offset challenges from a sector-wide regulatory clampdown and lower levels of volatility.

The company, set up by Chief Executive Peter Cruddas as a foreign exchange broker with a 10,000 pound investment in 1989, said pretax profit rose to 29.8 million pounds in the six months ended Sept. 30, from 18.8 million pounds a year earlier.

Revenue per active client rose 22 percent to 1814 pounds, while the number of active clients fell 2 percent to 46,634.

CMC added that Chairman Simon Waugh will retire from the board on Dec. 31 and will be replaced by James Richards.

(Reporting by Noor Zainab Hussain in Bengaluru; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty)