General Mills posted a 53% jump in...

General Mills posted a 53% jump in fourth-quarter earnings from the year-earlier period. The Minneapolis-based company said it was helped by a lower tax rate, good volume growth in consumer foods, strong performance by key restaurant chains and significant productivity gains. Net profit for the quarter was $54.9 million. For fiscal 1988, which was one week shorter than fiscal 1987, earnings rose 27% to $283.1 million.