* CEO says confident for rest of 2009, 2010
* Says group margin will continue to improve
* H1 EBITA up 13.4 percent at 229.8 million sterling
* Shares down 3 percent
(Adds detail, updates shares)
By John Bowker
LONDON, Aug 24 (Reuters) - Security services group G4S reported a positive outlook for the current year and into 2010 as it continued to improve margins, but expectations ran ahead of its shares, which were down in a rising market.
The UK-Danish company, which provides security for governments and companies around the world and operates in war zones and at rock concerts, said it was confident of further growth after its first-half profit and margin rose in the six months to end June.
"There have been real economic headwinds, but despite that we have grown," Chief Executive Nick Buckles told reporters, adding that government and cash security contracts had helped to offset a slowdown in commercial European and North American ventures.
Growth in new markets such as the Middle East, with organic growth up 22 percent, and Africa, up 12 percent, has also helped to keep the business on an even keel.
"The margin at the end of the year should be higher than at the end of last year," Buckles said.
G4S says it is the world's second-biggest private sector employer behind supermarket chain Wal-Mart with close to 600,000 staff.
Its shares were down 3.1 percent at 217.3 pence at 1143 GMT, but analysts said the shares had enjoyed a strong run up ahead of the results statement and were unlikely to be boosted further by full-year upgrades.
"I don't think people will change numbers today. It's not an awful performance against the economic backdrop, but maybe expectations (for the future) were getting ahead of themselves," said Panmure Gordon analyst Mike Allen.
Evolution's Graham Brown added that the shares had risen 5 percent over the three previous trading days, compared with a 4 percent rise for the year before that, and therefore Monday's drop should not be taken as a significant shift in sentiment.
G4S said its first half margin improved to 6.6 percent from 6.5 percent, and it would raise its dividend 10 percent to 3.02 pence a share.
It said earnings before interest, tax and amortisation (EBITA) for the six months to end June was up 13.4 percent at 229.8 million pounds ($381 million).
Looking ahead, CEO Buckles said he saw no sign that world governments were cutting back on costs, adding that they were more likely to outsource to the private sector if times were tough.
He added that small acquisitions were still on the agenda, both in new and developed markets, having spent nearly 55 million pounds on deals in the first half.
Buckles said Afghanistan was likely to remain a war environment for at least five more years, but that Iraq was looking like it could become a more business-friendly commercial market. ($1=.6038 Pound) (Editing by Will Waterman and Jon Loades-Carter)