(LEAD) Hyundai E&C Q1 net jumps 26 pct on currency gains

(ATTN: UPDATES with company's comment and stock prices in paras 1, 3, 5; ADDS photo)

SEOUL, April 24 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co. said Friday its first-quarter net profit spiked 26 percent from a year earlier due to foreign exchange gains.

Net profit for the January-March period soared to 196.5 billion won (US$159 million) from 156 billion won from a year earlier, Hyundai E&C said in a regulatory filing.

Operating profit fell 19.4 percent to 165.3 billion won in the first quarter from 205.2 billion won the previous year. Sales rose 4.7 percent to 4.05 trillion won from 3.87 trillion won over the cited period.

Shares in Hyundai E&C fell 5.04 percent to 33,000 won on Friday, underperforming the broader KOSPI's 1.34 percent loss.

entropy@yna.co.kr
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