Sweden's biggest corporate bank said operating profit was 13.0 billion crowns ($1.17 billion) against a year-ago 9.12 billion, beating a mean forecast of 11.0 billion in a Refinitiv poll of analysts.

Banks have seen their income boosted by higher interest rates as central banks are scrambling to bring down stubbornly high inflation.

"Rising interest rates continued to have a positive effect on the results in the quarter, however, the positive effect on net interest income has abated compared with previous quarters," SEB said in a statement.

SEB made a net credit gain of 17 million crowns in the quarter compared to a loss of 43 million crowns in the corresponding quarter last year, and against a 488 million loss seen by analysts.

($1 = 11.0952 Swedish crowns)

(Reporting by Johan Ahlander, editing by Anna Ringstrom)