Bid target Bwin.Party sees first half earnings rise

Bwin.Party, the online gambling firm at the centre of a bidding war between rivals 888 and GVC Holdings, posted a 2 percent rise in first-half earnings on Friday. Bwin, up for sale since last year, accepted a 900 million pound cash and stock offer from 888 in July but on Thursday asked bid rival GVC to table its best offer after key issues in its latest 1.03 billion pound proposal on Aug. 7 were addressed. Bwin said on Friday cost savings had helped lift adjusted core earnings for the six months