STOCKBROKER WH Ireland yesterday axed its interim dividend as the market turmoil kept it firmly in the red over the first half of the year.<br /><br />The firm reported a pre-tax loss of £0.523m for the six months to end of May, though this narrowed from the £0.736m loss it reported over the same period last year. Group revenue increased by six per cent to £17.1m.<br /><br />But WH Ireland played down the significance of the recent stock market upturn, warning that times are likely to remain tough for the sector for some time to come.<br /><br />“Whilst the recent market rally is a positive development we remain cautious on the impact on stockbroking revenues and corporate finance activity in the near term,” said chairman Rupert Lowe.<br /><br />Earlier this year, WH Ireland deputy chairman Laurie Beevers and group managing director David Youngman stepped down in a boardroom bust-up.