Google parent Alphabet profit leaps on ad growth

Google parent Alphabet on Monday reported a surge in quarterly profits, lifted by strong growth in the digital advertising segment it dominates along with Facebook.Profit in the first three months of 2018 soared more than 70 percent from a year to $9.4 billion, Alphabet said in an earnings report that was well above forecasts.Alphabet shares were up slighty in after-market trades that followed release of the earnings report.