Hunting says weather and project delays hit trading

LONDON (Reuters) - Energy services firm Hunting said on Wednesday trading in the first quarter had been slower than expected due to adverse weather in North America and project delays in Asia.

Hunting said it remained comfortable with its full-year outlook, despite the disappointing first quarter.

Analysts have forecast 2014 pretax profit of 128 million pounds ($214.2 million) on revenue of 891 million pounds, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Hunting, which provides equipment and services for drilling and completing oil wells, said demand in the Gulf of Mexico was strong and construction for new facilities in South Africa and around Houston in the United States were on track for completion in early 2015.

(Reporting by Stephen Eisenhammer; Editing by Erica Billingham)