Airbus boosts A330 production as profit rises

Airbus Group Wednesday posted a 15% rise in profit for 2015 and raised output again on a popular long-range jet in a sign of sustained strong demand for commercial airliners. Airbus and Boeing have enjoyed a prolonged period of high aircraft order bookings as airlines renew aging fleets and add planes to deliver growth. Investors have increasingly become concerned, though, the boom period may be nearing an end. Despite those worries, Airbus said it would lift production next year of the A330 widebody to 7 planes a month from 6. It had previously cut production plans of the plane to 6 aircraft a month from 10, anticipating a sharp drop in demand as it introduced an updated model with more fuel efficient engines. The existing model has proved more popular with customers than expected, though. <br/>