MasterCard third-quarter profit rises but purchase growth slows

MasterCard Inc , the world's second-largest credit and debit card network, reported an 8 percent rise in quarterly profit but worldwide purchase volume growth slowed to the lowest level in six quarters .

Net income rose to $772 million, or $6.17 per share, from $717 million, or $5.63 per share, a year earlier.

Revenue rose 5 percent to $1.9 billion.

Cardholders made $676 billion of purchases worldwide, on a local currency basis, in the third quarter, up 12 percent. Purchase volume grew at 13 percent in the second quarter, and at more than 15 percent of the preceding four quarters.

(Reporting by Jochelle Mendonca in Bangalore; Editing by Akshay Lodaya)