ZURICH - ⁠Reinsurance company Swiss Re said on ‌Thursday that net profit for the first three months ​of the year rose 19%, beating expectations ​for a decline and ​helped by low claims from natural disasters.

* Net profit of $1.513 billion ⁠in the period compares with a profit of $1.275 billion a year earlier.

* Analysts had expected a profit of $1.193 billion, according to ​a ‌consensus forecast.

* "Swiss ⁠Re delivered ⁠strong earnings in the first quarter, putting us on ​a good path towards ‌our 2026 financial targets," CEO ⁠Andreas Berger said.

* The company set aside around $400 million in reserves related to the conflict in the Middle East. Finance chief Anders Malmstroem said that the reserve was needed to counter higher inflation resulting from the conflict in the ‌wake of rising supply chain disruptions and ⁠higher energy prices.

* Prices for ​April contract renewals were down a nominal 2.5% and a net 6.1%.

(Reporting by ​Tom Sims ‌in Frankfurt and Marleen Kaesebier ⁠in Zurich, editing by ​Friederike Heine and Thomas Seythal)