LONDON, May 17 (Reuters) - Mobile phone operator Vodafone posted its first underlying growth in both full-yearrevenue and core earnings since 2008, helped by a return totop-line growth in Europe in the fourth quarter.
The world's second-largest mobile phone operator reportedfull-year revenue of 40.97 billion pounds ($59 billion), up 2.3percent on an underlying basis and broadly meeting marketforecasts, helped by a better performance in South Africa, Egyptand Turkey.
It posted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation andamortization of 11.61 billion pounds, slightly shy of forecasts.
It said it expected underlying earnings growth to accelerateto 3-6 percent this year.($1 = 0.6909 pounds) (Reporting by Paul Sandle; editing by Kate Holton)