BNP Paribas outpaces European rivals in Q1

Higher income: A man is seen in silhouette as he walks behind the logo of BNP Paribas in a building in Issy-les-Moulineaux, near Paris. The group’s net income rose 4.4 to 1.89 billion euros in the first quarter. — Reuters

PARIS: BNP Paribas SA posted trading revenue that trounced its European rivals, helping drive a surprise increase in first-quarter profit.

Revenue at the global-markets division climbed 33% from a year earlier to 1.75 billion euros (US$1.9bil), the bank said.