31/05/2012 (Bernama) - Sime Darby Bhd's shares on Bursa Malaysia rose four sen, or 0.42 per cent, to RM9.64 as at 3.43 pm today after posting a good nine-month period financial result Wednesday.

In a statement, Sime Darby said its pre-tax profit grew by 26 per cent to RM4.3 billion for the nine months ended March 31, 2012 from RM3.4 billion in the corresponding period of 2011.

"The group's net profit for the first nine months rose by 30 per cent to RM3.1 billion from RM2.4 billion in the same period last year following commendable results from the plantation, industrial and property divisions," it said.

Sime Darby said crude palm oil production in the reporting period improved by five per cent due to the improvement in the oil extraction rate to 21.8 per cent from 21.3 per cent in the same period last year.

In addition, fresh fruit bunch production had also risen, increasing by one per cent to 7.5 million metric tonnes for the first nine months of the financial year, it said.