Goldman posts 3rd-quarter profit of $2.24 billion

Goldman Sachs Group on Thursday reported third-quarter profit of $2.24 billion.

The bank, based in New York, said it had earnings of $4.57 per share.

The results beat Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of analysts surveyed by FactSet was for earnings of $3.21 per share.

The investment bank posted revenue of $8.39 billion in the period, exceeding Street forecasts. Analysts expected $7.75 billion, according to FactSet.

Goldman shares have fallen slightly since the beginning of the year, while the Standard & Poor's 500 index has increased almost 1 percent. The stock has climbed 9 percent in the last 12 months.