Aug 1 (Reuters) - Insurer Prudential Financial

reported a rise in second-quarter adjusted profit on Thursday,

as its U.S. unit was boosted by stronger underwriting and higher

investment returns.

A resilient U.S. economy and growing hopes for a soft

landing have led businesses and individuals to invest more in

insurance policies.

The Newark, New Jersey-based company's U.S. businesses,

posted adjusted operating income of $1.07 billion in the

reported quarter, compared to $956 million in the year ago

quarter.

"We continued to see positive momentum across our

businesses, driven by robust sales in our U.S. and International

Businesses, as well as strong investment performance," said CEO

Charles Lowrey.

Meanwhile, the industry has experienced broad gains in

investment income as higher interest rates have lifted

fixed-income portfolios, and equity markets have surged to

record highs.

PGIM, Prudential's global investment management business,

reported an adjusted operating income of $206 million in the

quarter, up from $179 million a year ago, driven by higher asset

management fees.

Assets under management climbed to $1.48 trillion in the

second quarter versus $1.41 trillion a year ago.

The insurer has been looking to shift its business model

away from market-sensitive segments towards more stable and

recurring sources of income such as underwriting.

The company's after-tax adjusted operating income came in at

$1.23 billion, or $3.39 per common share, in the three months

ended June 30, compared with $1.14 billion, or $3.09 per share,

a year earlier.