McDonald's quarterly profit falls 30%

New York - McDonald's reported a 30% fall in quarterly profit, hurt by a food scandal in China and intense competition in the United States.

The company's net income fell to $1.07bn, or $1.09 per share, in the third quarter ended September 30 from $1.52bn, or $1.52 per share, a year earlier.

Total revenue at the world's largest restaurant chain fell 4.6% to $6.99bn. Global sales at restaurants open at least 13 months were down 3.3%.

Analysts on average had expected global same-restaurant sales to fall by 3%, according to research firm Consensus Metrix.