General Electric Co reported an 80 percent surge in first-quarter profit, driven by a sharp improvement at its finance arm and rising earnings at its units that make jet engines and locomotives.

The largest U.S. conglomerate on Thursday said first-quarter earnings attributable to common shareowners came to $3.36 billion, or 31 cents per share, up from $1.87 billion or 17 cents per share, a year earlier.

(Reporting by Scott Malone; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn)