<p data-reactid="40">SoftBank Group Corp, a prolific investor in global technology startups, reported a sharp rise in quarterly profits and said it would be interested in parking funds in ride-hailing firms Uber Technologies or Lyft Inc in the future.</p>
<p data-reactid="41">This is the first time Softbank has publicly indicated an interest in Uber, after having so far put funds into its rival Grab in Southeast Asia and China's Didi Chuxing. Last month, a media report said Uber shareholders and its board were mulling a stock sale to SoftBank and other investors.</p>