Mitsubishi Corp. said Thursday its group operating profits climbed 63.5 percent to 35.75 billion yen in the fiscal first half to Sept. 30 on the strength of robust earnings in its energy business and a weak yen.

But group net profits at the giant trader shrank 44.8 percent to 41.94 billion yen because it posted one-off gains a year earlier by selling shares in Photonic Integration Research Inc., a Mitsubishi affiliate that makes optical waveguide devices.

"Excluding last year, group net profits above the 40 billion yen mark are the highest level for the company," Mitsubishi said in a release.