July 25 (Reuters) - On Thursday, Unilever (ULVR.L), opens new tab exceeded expectations for its first-half profitability, driven by firm pricing, though its sales growth fell short of forecasts. Shares of the consumer goods giant, known for making products like Dove soap and Hellmann's condiments, surged by 6.8% during early trading, leading London's FTSE 100 index (.FTSE), opens new tab. Unilever experienced a 3.9% increase in underlying sales for the second quarter, falling short of