Dow Profit Rises 45 pct as Margins Expand

Dow Chemical Co's quarterly profit jumped 45 percent, helped by higher margins in five of its six units.

Net income available to shareholders rose to $1.39 billion, or $1.18 per share, in the quarter ended March 31, from $964 million, or 79 cents per share, a year earlier.

Sales fell nearly 15 percent to $12.37 billion.

Reporting by Kanika Sikka