Goldman Sachs profit rises 44 pct

(Reuters) - Goldman Sachs Group Inc reported a 44 percent rise in second-quarter profit on Tuesday, driven by strength in its investment banking and fixed income trading businesses.

The fifth-largest U.S. bank by assets said net earnings applicable to shareholders rose to $2.35 billion, or $5.98 per share, in the second quarter ended June 30, from $1.63 billion, or $3.95 per share, a year earlier.

Analysts on average had forecast earnings per share of $4.66, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S data. It was not immediately clear if the estimate was comparable with the reported numbers.

(Reporting By Aparajita Saxena in Bengaluru; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty)