UPDATE 1-GE predicts up to 15 percent rise in 2016 operating income
December 16, 2015 at 15:44 PM EST
Dec 16 (Reuters) - General Electric Co predicted on Wednesday a double-digit rise in operating earnings in 2016 to between $1.45 and $1.55 a share and said it would return about $26 billion to shareholders, sending its stock up sharply.