| 1 | COPENHAGEN, Denmark - Danish brewer Carlsberg has lowered its full-year earnings forecast after declining beer sales in Russia and Ukraine hurt second-quarter profits. |
| 2 | Carlsberg, which had previously forecast single-digit growth in operating profit in 2015, said Wednesday it now expects a slight decline, citing "challenging market conditions" in Eastern Europe and weaker-than-expected results in Western Europe. |
| 3 | It said the beer market declined 9 percent in Russia and 17 percent in Ukraine, where Moscow is accused of supporting a separatist rebellion. |
| 4 | Western European sales fell due to bad weather and compared with a jump a year earlier drive by the World Cup. |
| 5 | Second-quarter net profit dropped 28 percent to 1.59 billion kroner ($236 million), while revenue fell 2 percent to 18.9 billion kroner. |
| 6 | Carlsberg shares fell 8 percent in early trading in Copenhagen. |