EasyJet raises annual earnings forecast

British no-frills airline EasyJet said on Thursday that annual profits would be at the upper end of expectations, and cited keen demand for flights during July and August. The carrier said in a statement that pre-tax profits were forecast to stand at between £470 million and £480 million in its financial year to September 30. The forecast range is equivalent to 560-572 million euros, $761-$778 million. That compared with its prior July guidance of between £450 million and £480 million. Pre-tax profits had stood at £317 million in the airline's previous 2011-2012 financial year. The company, which is based in Luton north of London, added that traffic grew by 4.8 percent in September 2013 to 5.714 million passengers compared with a year earlier. EasyJet will publish its annual results statement on November 19.