McDonald's reports strong earnings, helped by all-day breakfast

New York

MCDONALD'S surprised even the most bullish investors on Monday, reporting stronger-than-expected quarterly gains in earnings, thanks largely to serving items from its breakfast menu all day.

Same-store sales - the numbers for stores open at least a year - rose 5.7 per cent in the United States in the quarter that ended Dec 31, and 5 per cent on a global basis. It was the strongest gain in such sales in almost four years.