Weak oil prices hurt Wood Group's first-half core earnings

(Reuters) - Oilfield services company John Wood Group Plc reported a 26.3 percent fall in first-half core earnings, hurt by weak demand from oil and gas producers. ** The company, founded in 1912 as a ship repair and marine engineering firm, said earnings before interest, tax and amortisation (EBITA) fell to $166.4 million, from $225.9 million a year earlier. ** John Wood, which counts BP Plc as one of its customers, maintained its forecast for a 20 percent drop in full-year EBITA. (Reporting by