Profits Climb for AON

Fourth-quarter profits for Aon Corp. rose 29 percent based on higher insurance brokerage commissions and fees.

Fourth-quarter operating profits before unusual items were $246 million, or 52 cents per share, meeting analysts’ expectations that the Chicago-based company would report earnings of 52 per share. Net income, including unusual items, was $89 million, or 34 cents per share, compared with $12 million, or 5 cents per share in the same quarter last year.