Bell Financial Group ’s executive chairman Colin Bell , is optimistic that deal activity will remain strong in the next four months, but concedes that equity trading volumes are difficult to predict, after flat activity saw the company post a sharp drop in interim profit.

Bell’s net profit tumbled to $759,000 in the six months ended June 30, down from $3.3 million in the same period in 2013, accounts lodged with the ASX showed on Friday.