Russian gas export monopoly Gazprom on Tuesday posted a 42 percent percent increase in first-quarter earnings to 478.5 billion roubles ($16.6 billion), exceeding market expectations of a 29 percent gain.
State-controlled Gazprom said revenues rose by 38 percent to 1.317 trillion roubles as customers in Europe increased purchases, beating an average forecast by analysts in a Reuters poll of 1.259 trillion roubles.
