03:08 PM EST - Manulife Financial Corp. : reported a 21 percent rise in fourth-quarter profit on Tuesday, crediting strong operating results and equity markets, as well as some tax benefits. Shareholder earnings at Canada's biggest life insurer were $1.1 billion, or 70 cents a share, in the three months ended December 31. That's up from $908 million, or 56 cents a share, in the same period in 2005. Analysts had expected a profit of 66 cents a share. Manulife Financial Corp.
shares T.MFC are trading down 10 cents at $40.56.
