National Australia Bank on Tuesday reported an increase in its third-quarter cash profit, helped by rising interest rates, and announced a A$1.5 billion ($972.90 million) share buyback.

The country's second-biggest lender posted cash earnings of A$1.90 billion for the quarter ended June 30, compared with A$1.80 billion a year earlier. Analysts had expected A$1.83 billion, according to Visible Alpha consensus.

($1 = 1.5418 Australian dollars)

(Reporting by Upasana Singh and Archishma Iyer in Bengaluru; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar)