Barratt has announced strong pre-tax profits of £171 million for the six months to the end of December. Turnover increased to £1.18 billion as forward sales increased by 6%. Chief executive David Pretty said Barratt had a record £1 billion order book and had sold 90% of its homes this year. He also said that the company were on track to meet full year unit sales forecasts of 14,500, up 500 on last year, including about 2,000 social units. (FT, Independent, Telegraph)