(Telecompaper) Alphabet, the holding company for Google and its other activities, reported sales of USD 21.5 billion for the second quarter, an increase of 21 percent from a year earlier. Excluding currency effects, sales rose 25 percent. In its home market the US, revenues rose 25 percent, and sales were 14 percent in the UK and 19 percent in the rest of the world. Google's search activities grew by 21 percent to USD 21.3 billion, and generated an operating profit of USD 6.99 billion. Revenue from Alphabet's 'Other bets' increased 150 percent to USD 185 million, while contributing an operating loss of USD 859 million. Google's total operating profit rose 24 percent year-on-year to USD 5.97 billion, and net profit increased 24 percent to USD 4.88 billion.