Volkswagen Q1 operating earnings jump on improved brand profit

Operating profit came to $4.7 billion in the 3 months through March

Germany's Volkswagen said its operating profit jumped 28 per cent in the first quarter, helped by improved earnings at its core VW brand.

Operating profit came to 4.4 billion euros ($4.7 billion) in the three months through March, the carmaker said on Tuesday, compared with 3.44 billion it reported for the year-earlier period.

It said it still expected to report a full-year return on sales between six to seven  per cent this year.