Bank of Nova Scotia : Canada's Scotiabank fourth-quarter earnings up 4 percent

TORONTO (Reuters) - Bank of Nova Scotia, Canada's third-biggest lender, on Tuesday said its earnings increased by 4 percent in the fourth quarter, benefiting from strong performances by each of its businesses.

Scotiabank reported earnings per share of C$1.64 in the quarter, up from C$1.57 a year ago. Analysts had on average forecast earnings of C$1.66 per share, Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S data showed.

(Reporting by Matt Scuffham; editing by Jason Neely)