Business support services company DCC has reported higher adjusted operating profits for the six months to the end of September as its revenue dipped. DCC said its half year adjusted operating profits rose by 14.5% to £162.6m from £141.9m the same time last year, while its revenues dipped by 1.4% to £7.312 billion from £7.418 billion. | Chinese shoppers snapped up food supplements, facial masks and baby milk powder at the world's largest shopping festival, with brands such as L'Oreal and Nestle among the biggest winners, Alibaba data showed. The Chinese e-commerce giant's annual Singles' Day shopping blitz yesterday brought in a record 268.4 billion yuan ($38.38 billion) in sales. | The rate of rental inflation dropped to its lowest level in six years in the third quarter of this year, the latest report from property website Daft.ie shows. Daft said that the average rent across the country rose by 5.2% - the smallest increase since the second quarter of 2013. However the average monthly rent in the country in the third quarter of this year hit €1,403 - the 14th consecutive quarter of record rents. | Vodafone, the world's second largest mobile operator, has today increased its full-year earnings guidance. The move reflected improving organic growth trends as difficult markets in Spain and Italy start to ease and it integrates its German cable acquisition. The company reported organic service revenue growth of 0.3% in the first half, as it returned to growth in the second quarter thanks to improvements in South Africa, Spain and Italy and a solid retail performance in Germany. | British broadcaster ITV said advertising revenue came in at the top end of the range in the third quarter and demand for programming, particularly in the US, would underpin a solid end to the year. Shares in ITV are up more than 27% in the last three months after the home to the X Factor and Coronation Street reported half-year results in July that showed the group was performing better than expected. | Co Meath-based Prepaid Financial Services has been bought by Australia's EML Payments in a deal worth €327 million. The payment solutions provider said the deal would also comprise an additional earn-out component if Prepaid Financial achieves certain earnings targets. Prepaid Financial Services provides e-wallets and digital banking software among other services.   |||