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General Motors lifts 2016 profit forecast after strong Q2 results

Operating margins globally of 9.3% and 12% across North America represent records since the automaker left bankruptcy, said the company.

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Its operating margin of 9.5% in China was just lower than for the same period past year, but the performance of the company in the largest market for autos in the world remained stable.

In the latest reported period, General Motors sold 2.4 million vehicles globally, in line with last year’s performance.

“This was an outstanding quarter for GM”, Chairman and CEO Mary Barra said in a statement.

Earnings per share diluted was a strong $1.81, compared with $0.67 in the second quarter a year ago.

Revenues jumped 11 percent to $42.4 billion, much of that driven by a strong performance in North America due to robust sales of large vehicles and gains from several high-profile launches, such as the Chevrolet Malibu sedan and the Cadillac XT5 SUV. General Motors profited from sales in Europe for the first time since the second quarter of 2011.

Shares of GM traded up 3% at $32.52 Thursday morning, with a consensus estimate of $36.20 and a 52-week trading range of $24.62 to $36.88.

GM Financial, the automaker’s financial unit, earned $300 million before taxes, up from $200 million a year earlier.

Mr. Stevens, however, said uncertainty created by the U.K.’s referendum to exit from the European Union has negatively impacted the British pound and that could hurt production and sales activities there. In other words, the company made more money selling fewer vehicles between April and the end of June than it did a year ago.

GM raised its full-year earnings outlook to $5.50-$6.00 a share, up from$5.25-$5.75 earlier and above the midpoint of consensus of analysts polled by Thomson Reuters for $5.65.

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GM has benefited from the continuing shift in the USA from passenger cars to trucks and SUVs, steady sales increases in China and improved conditions in Western Europe. People familiar with the terms of the deal said the total payout could exceed $1 billion.

Faded GM logo on brick wall