(Bloomberg) — Manulife Financial Corp., Canada's largest life insurer, reported a 45 percent gain in first-quarter profit after benefiting from interest-rate movements and record insurance sales in Asia.
Net income in the first quarter was C$1.045 billion ($812 million), up from C$723 million in the year-ago period, the Toronto-based company said in a statement Thursday. Profit excluding some items was 44 cents a share, above the 43-cent average of 13 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg.
Market-related gains "more than offset depressed oil and gas prices in the quarter," Chief Executive Officer Donald Guloien said in the statement. The company recorded a C$474 million markets gain, including the impact of interest rates.
The company's stock rose 0.4 percent to C$18.07 at market close in Toronto Wednesday. The shares are down 13 percent this year.
© Arc, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to TMSalesOperations@arc-network.com. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.