DuPont third-quarter earnings rise

NEW YORK (Reuters) - DuPont Co (DD.N), one of the largest U.S. chemical makers, said on Tuesday that third-quarter profit rose more than 8 percent on strong sales from its agriculture and nutrition segment, coupled with overseas growth.

Net income increased to $526 million, or 56 cents a share, from $485 million, or 52 cents a share, a year earlier.

Excluding items, the company posted quarterly earnings of 59 cents a share.

In July, DuPont said it expected to benefit in the second half of 2007 from continued growth outside the United States, higher local selling prices and reductions in fixed costs.

Shares of DuPont, a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average .DJI, have fallen about 5 percent in the last six months, while the Standard & Poor's Chemicals Index .GSPPM has risen about 11 percent.

(Reporting by Euan Rocha)