Prudential says net loss doubles

British insurance group Prudential on Thursday said its net loss more than doubled to 254 million pounds (295 million euros, 420 million dollars) in the first half of 2009 compared with a year earlier.

Prudential's outgoing chief executive Mark Tucker said the group expected "the business environment to remain difficult through the rest of 2009" after net losses had widened from 116 million pounds in the first half of 2008.

Prudential announced earlier this year that Frenchman Tidjane Thiam - currently the group's financial chief - would replace Tucker in October.

AFP