Berkshire Hathaway has reported a third-quarter operating profit of $US4.55 billion ($6.46 billion), down marginally from $US4.72 billion ($6.7 billion) in the corresponding period last year.

This took operating profit for the first nine months of this year to $US12.69 billion ($18 billion), compared with $US12.59 billion ($17.86 billion).

Warren Buffett’s investment giant was not immune from the insurance sector’s global malaise, with non-insurance income contributing the lion’s share of growth.

Insurance underwriting contributed $US414 million ($587 million) to the third-quarter result, down from $US629 million ($892.46 million).

But it is the nine-month result that most starkly reveals the slowdown’s impact: insurance underwriting income for the period was $US856 million ($1.22 billion), almost half the $US1.5 billion ($2.13 billion) figure of the corresponding period last year.

Insurance investment income for the third quarter was $US840 million ($1.19 billion), up from $US811 million ($1.15 billion). Insurance investment income for the first nine months was $US2.69 billion ($3.82 billion), up from $US2.66 billion ($3.77 billion).

Berkshire Hathaway’s net profit for the third-quarter was $US9.43 billion ($13.38 billion), almost double the corresponding period last year.

Net profit for the first nine months was $US18.61 billion ($26.41 billion), compared with $US15.72 billion ($22.31 billion).