12:09 PM EST - Manulife Financial Corp. : said first-quarter profit rose a modest 3.5 percent as it took a one-time charge due to new accounting rules, the Canadian insurer said on Thursday. Net income was $986 million, or 63 cents a share, versus $952 million, or 59 cents a share, a year earlier. It also announced a 10 percent dividend increase to 22 cents a share from 20 cents. Manulife Financial Corp.
shares T.MFC are trading off 40 cents at $39.94.
