Macquarie Group has forecast that its profit for the year to the end of March will be around 40 per cent to 45 per cent higher than its 2013 result. In an investor briefing in Hong Kong later this week, Macquarie will highlight the contribution of improved market conditions to the performance of its fixed income, currencies and commodities division.In an investor briefing in February, Macquarie had forecast that earnings for the FICC division would be down on its 2013 result, while its five other divisions would report higher earnings or results in line with 2013.Now its view is that FICC will be broadly in line with 2013 or up slightly.Macquarie made a net profit of A$851 million in 2012/13. A 45 per cent increase would give it a profit of $1.2 billion.