Goldman Sachs earns $1.74 bn, easily tops forecasts

NEW YORK: Goldman Sachs easily beat analysts' forecasts with its third-quarter earnings report.

Goldman Sachs Group Inc. said Monday that earnings available to common shareholders were $1.74 billion, or $2.98 per share, during the quarter.

That's below the $3.03 billion, or $5.25 per share, it earned during the third quarter last year, but much higher than the $2.32 per share analysts had predicted.

Investment banking revenue jumped 24 percent because of an increase in underwriting debt offerings.

The bond, currency and commodities trading busines at Goldman saw a 36 percent drop in revenue compared with the same quarter last year.