shares in georg fischer fell thursday after the company reported lower firsthalf net profit and sales as a result of unfavorable exchange rates at 0847 gmt shares in the swiss manufacturing company were down 38 at chf6510 having tumbled more than 5 earlier from january to june georg fischer reported a drop in net profit to 123 million swiss francs 1433 million compared with chf125 million in the yearearlier period sales fell to chf196 million from chf197 million while operating income was up to chf184 million from chf179 million results were affected by currency headwinds and geopolitical tensions georg fischer said on an organic basis sales rose 75 it said analysts at baader helvea said that results were close to expectations and expect the headwind from economic sentiment and interest rates to persist in the next months for the year as a whole georg fischer estimates organic sales to grow and an operating profit margin between 9 and 11