U.K-based financial derivatives and sports betting company IG Group Holdings PLC (IGG.LN) Tuesday revealed a jump in first-half revenue and profit as the market collapse prompted customers to switch to short-term trading of indices and currencies from trading in individual shares.

IG Group, the spread-betting firm, is attempting to launch in China through a joint venture with one of the domestic Chinese banks.

IG Group Holdings Plc (IGG.L) said it agreed to buy the entire issued share capital of HedgeStreet Inc. for $6.0 million, or approximately £2.9 million.