Hyundai Motor's profit halves
Seoul: South Korea's top auto maker Hyundai Motor Co. has reported that its Q3 profit has fallen almost by half and operating profit sank as derivatives losses, a labour dispute and a firmer local currency took their toll on earnings.

Hyundai said July-September operating profit took a hit from a month long strike action, falling to 183.2 billion won from a year-earlier 268.1 billion won -- undershooting a forecast for 293.4 billion won.

Hyundai, the world's No.6 auto maker along with affiliate Kia Motors Corp. should see earnings improve in the current fourth quarter, analysts say, as overseas sales and lower oil prices outweigh sluggish demand on the home market.

Full-year profit is expected to fall by nearly a fifth to 1.86 trillion won from 2.31 trillion last year, according to 25 analysts surveyed by Reuters Estimates, indicating fourth-quarter profit could rise 32.6 percent to 871.1 billion won ($909.2 million) from a year ago.
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Japan's industrial output down
Tokyo: Japan's industrial output fell in September due to weak automobile shipments to the United States, enhancing worries that a U.S. slowdown could hurt recovery in Japan, the world's second-largest economy.

Industrial production in September fell 0.7 percent from August, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) said on Monday, against a market forecast for a 1.0 percent fall.
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