Canada's BCE profit drops as expenses rise; maintains outlook

TORONTO, Aug 3 (Reuters) - Canada's largest telecom company, BCE Inc, posted a 2.1 percent drop in second-quarter earnings on Thursday as expenses climbed, but stuck to its full-year forecast as the acquisition of regional operator Manitoba Telecom Services boosted revenue.

The company, popularly known as Bell, said net income attributable to its shareholders fell to C$762 million, or 84 Canadian cents per share, in the second quarter, from C$778 million, or 89 Canadian cents per share, a year earlier.

Montreal-based BCE's operating revenue rose 6.7 percent to C$5.70 billion. (Reporting by Alastair Sharp; Editing by Bernadette Baum)