Smartphones lift Vodafone

MOBILE phone network operator Vodafone has raised its profits guidance for the second time in three months after reporting continued strong demand for smartphones in the UK.

The group - which on Wednesday named Philips chief executive Gerard Kleisterlee as its new chairman - expects operating profits for the year to 31 March at the upper end of the 11.8 billion to 12.2bn forecast in November.

It has now achieved a fifth successive quarter of revenue growth, with strong results in emerging markets such as India accompanied by improved trading in its more mature markets.