Bollore May Sell Intertechnique

France's Bollore does not expect lackluster operating income to fully rebound before 2001 and may sell its stake in Intertechnique to boost earnings. Vincent Bollore, head of the conglomerate said that the low freight rates hurting its shipping activities could remain weak for "several months," meaning a recovery in operating profit was unlikely before 2001. Bollore reported a fall in operating income in the first half to $43.4 million versus $74 million in the same period a year ago, but a capital gain on the sale of its shares in Pathe helped boost net attributable profit by 24 percent to $42.4 million. Bollore said he would consider selling his 32.2 percent holding in aeronautics equipment maker Intertechnique, which he estimated to be worth around $160 million, "if somebody offered a good price."