Companhia Vale do Rio Doce SA's recorded third-quarter profits of 4.7 billion Brazilian reals ($2.6 billion), or 0.96 reals (53 U.S. cents) per share, up from 4 billion reals or 0.82 reals per share in the same period last year.

The company, which also is the world's second-largest nickel producer, said revenue increased 38 percent to 16 billion reals ($8.9 billion), compared with 11.6 billion reals in the same quarter a year ago.

Consolidated exports rose 22 percent to $2.7 billion.

"We remain confident in the solid and continuous growth of the global economy, expecting, however, that it proceeds at a more moderate pace than in the past three years," the company said in a statement.

CVRD said its third-quarter performance was solid despite the real's continuing gains against the U.S. dollar, which makes Brazilian goods more expensive for foreign buyers. The declining price of nickel also affected the company's results and was only partially be offset by higher nickel and iron ore production volumes.

"It's worth mentioning that the nickel prices in the second quarter were atypical, and that maintenance of prices at these levels was unlikely to happen," Sao Paulo-based brokerage Brascan said in a research report.

The results were announced after the markets closed Thursday. CVRD's American depository shares rose 67 cents to close at $33.49, then gained another 31 cents after-hours.