Bumper European earnings trend built on sound foundations

By Atul Prakash LONDON (Reuters) - European companies have enjoyed their strongest quarter for four years and an improving economic backdrop and a supportive euro currency should ensure that they maintain their momentum. With more than four fifths of companies in the STOXX Europe 600 index now having reported first quarter results, StarMine data show that 61 percent have met or beaten forecasts. European companies' earnings per share (EPS) are likely to grow by 5.4 percent in 2015, against