Nov 3 (Reuters) - Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd FFH.TO , led by well-known contrarian investor Prem Watsa, barely eked out a profit for the third quarter as the company booked steep losses on its investments.
Fairfax recorded net investment losses of $199.5 million in the quarter, compared with a gain of $425.6 million a year earlier.
Losses on investments were primarily due to price fluctuations in stocks and Consumer Price Index-linked derivative contracts, the company said in a statement.
"We are maintaining our defensive equity hedges and deflation protection as we remain concerned about the financial markets and the economic outlook in this global deflationary environment," Watsa said in a statement.
Net earnings attributable to shareholders of Fairfax shrank to $1.3 million in the third quarter ended Sept. 30, from $424.8 million a year earlier. a per share basis, the company reported a loss of 42 cents, compared with a profit of $18.16 a year earlier.
The Toronto-based financial services holding company said net premiums written fell 2.9 percent to $1.97 billion in the three months.