Vodafone reports underlying earnings growth after European recovery

Vodafone said its earnings growth would accelerate this year after a programme to improve its networks boosted demand in Europe and helped the group to return to underlying growth in 2016 revenue and core earnings for the first time since 2008. The world's second-largest mobile phone operator reported full-year revenue of 41 billion pounds, up 2.3 percent on an underlying basis and broadly meeting market forecasts, reflecting a better performance in South Africa, Egypt and Turkey. The return to