(Corrects name of CFO to Brian Roberts instead of Nelson Chai, paragraph 4)
Feb 9 (Reuters) - Lyft Inc said on Tuesday it could become profitable on an adjusted basis by the third quarter of this year despite the pandemic, three months ahead of a previous target, forecasting a rebound in ride-hail demand beginning in the second quarter of 2021.
Shares surged 9% to $58.65 in after-hours trading following the announcement.
Lyft expects COVID-19 vaccine distribution to scale up in the second quarter, allowing more people to return to pre-pandemic normality, and said its own cost cuts were ahead of target. That will help it achieve a profit.
London's FTSE 100 slipped on Wednesday, as a stronger pound pressured exporters, while homeware retailer Dunelm gained after resuming dividends and posting a higher first-half profit.
A surge in demand for goods like furniture and exercise equipment from locked-down consumers has sparked a jump in shipping rates, boosting profits for Danish freight giant Maersk, the company said on Wednesday.
Tyler Technologies Inc said on Wednesday it will buy payments company NIC Inc for about $2.3 billion, as the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated a shift to online services and electronic payments by governments.
German conglomerate Thyssenkrupp on Wednesday raised its full-year outlook for the first time in nearly four years, boosted by a recovery at its steel unit that could strengthen the case for a spin-off.