SEOUL, Oct 30 (Reuters) - Hyundai Motor ( HYMLF )

posted a 29% decline in third-quarter operating profit on

Thursday, as U.S. tariffs hurt the South Korean automaker.

Hyundai, which together with its affiliate Kia

is the world's third-biggest automaking group by sales, booked

an operating profit of 2.5 trillion won ($1.76 billion) for the

July-September period, down from 3.6 trillion won a year

earlier.

It, however, met an LSEG SmartEstimate of 2.5 trillion won,

which is weighted towards analysts who are more consistently

accurate.

The automaker said U.S. tariffs cost the company 1.8

trillion won in the third quarter, up from 828 billion won in

the previous quarter.

The automaker had been disadvantaged as its vehicles were

subject to a 25% tariff for exports to the U.S., its biggest

market generating about 40% of revenue.

But that rate would be lowered in the coming months to 15%

after Washington and Seoul reached a trade agreement on

Wednesday.

Hyundai Motor ( HYMLF ) shares, which rallied earlier in the day after

to the trade deal, pared gains, up 2.9%.