Wall Street Journal: General Electric Co. (GE) on Thursday reported a 77% increase in first-quarter earnings that blew past analysts' estimates, lifted by marked improvement at its GE Capital financing arm and gains at most of its industrial units. The company also boosted its quarterly dividend by a penny to 15 cents. The move marks GE's third dividend increase in the past year, although the payout remains well short of GE's 31-cent dividend from before the financial crisis and economic downturn.