Aetna Life & Casualty posted a 26%...

Aetna Life & Casualty posted a 26% rise in operating earnings for the third quarter of 1985. The company attributed the improved quarterly results to earnings gains in the employee- benefits businesses, continued price firming in the commercial property-casualty and reinsurance businesses and the absence of losses from diversified operations that have been sold. These improvements more than offset the impact of $62 million (pretax) in net catastrophe claims primarily from hurricanes Elena and Gloria and the earthquake in Mexico.