Feb 15 (Reuters) - Australian Securities Exchange Ltd ,the world's 16th-largest stock market by market capitalisation, said first-half net profit rose 5 percent as it experienced a pickup in trading activity in the derivatives markets.
Profit for Australia's dominant bourse operator was A$230.5 million ($182.81 million) for the six months ended Dec. 31, it said on Thursday, beating a Citigroup estimate of A$226 million.
The company declared an interim dividend of 107.2 Australian cents per share, up from 102 cents a year earlier.
($1 = 1.2609 Australian dollars)
(Reporting By Shashwat Pradhan in Bengaluru; Editing by Byron Kaye and Andrew Heavens)
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