France Telecom rushed out first-half core earnings figures a week early yesterday after a leak showed stronger-than-expected growth at its Orange mobile unit.

The surprise announcement - requested by the French bourse regulator - came after a morning of confusion among traders as draft earnings figures sent in error to analysts by France Telecom quickly filtered into the market.

For Orange, whose shares rose as much as 8 per cent as the leaked figures circulated, France Telecom confirmed a 102 per cent rise in earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) to €1.63 billion euros.

However, on a pro-forma basis, as Orange was integrated only from the start of 2001, the rise in EBITDA was 80 per cent.