Mastercard says spending stabilizing as profit beats estimates

(Reuters) - Mastercard Inc reported better-than-expected first-quarter earnings and the payment processor said it has started seeing early signs of spending levels stabilizing, even as the novel coronavirus outbreak wreaked havoc on consumer spending.Shares of the world's second-largest payment processor were up 5.27% at $278.80 before the bell.Net income fell to $1.7 billion(1.37 billion pounds), or $1.68 per share, in the first quarter from $1.9 billion, or $1.80 per share, a year earlier,..