Firms dealing on the New York Stock Exchange, both specialists and firms that conduct business with the public, reported higher profits for the third quarter of 2005.

NYSE firms that deal with the public reported after-tax profits of US$1.82 billion and revenues of US$61.13 billion, compared to US$1.43 billion in after-tax profits on revenues of US$37.76 billion in third-quarter 2004.

Also, for the third quarter of 2005, NYSE specialists reported after-tax profit of US$43 million. During the same period last year, the specialists reported an after-tax loss of US$12 million. Total specialist revenue in third-quarter 2005 was US$216 million, compared to US$192 million in third-quarter 2004.

In the first nine months of 2005, specialists reported after-tax profits of US$119 million on revenues of US$663 million, compared with after-tax profits of US$3 million on revenues of US$666 million in the first nine months of 2004.

However, firms that deal with the public don’t fare as well in a similar comparison. In the first nine months of 2005, they reported after-tax profits of US$4.65 billion on revenues of US$163.67 billion, compared with after-tax profits of US$5.86 billion on revenues of US$113.25 billion in the first nine months of 2004.