11:03 AM EST - Bank of Nova Scotia : easily beat expectations by reporting a 20 percent rise in first-quarter profit on Tuesday, thanks to recent acquisitions and growth in its Latin America and Caribbean operations. Canada's third-biggest bank by assets said it earned $1.02 billion, or $1.01 share, in the three months ended January 31. That compares with earnings of $852 million, or 84 cents a share, in the same period a year earlier. Analysts expected Scotiabank to earn 94 cents a share, according to Reuters Estimates. Bank of Nova Scotia
shares T.BNS are trading up 89 cents at $50.57.
