** Shares of Australia's Telstra Group TLS.AX on track to clock second consecutive week of gains, up 2.7% in the week so far

** Australia's top telco operator on Thursday posted 9.4% rise in HY profit to A$1.12 billion ($787.02 million), beating Visible Alpha consensus estimates of A$1.11 billion

** TLS shares down 1.4% on the day to A$5.075

** Stock has risen 4.2% this year so far, including session moves

($1 = 1.4231 Australian dollars)

(Reporting by Roshan Thomas in Bengaluru)

((Roshan.Thomas@thomsonreuters.com;))