Nissan says quarterly profit jumped 26.6 percent, keeps earnings forecast despite US worries

Nissan reported a 26.6 percent jump in October-December profit Friday and kept its full year forecasts as strong sales appeared to quell looming worries about a U.S. slowdown and an unfavorably strong yen.

Profit at Nissan Motor Co., which has an alliance with Renault SA of France, rose to 132.22 billion yen (US$1.24 billion; euro830 million) for the fiscal third quarter from 104.46 billion yen the same period the previous year.

Quarterly sales climbed 18.2 percent to 2.770 trillion yen (US$26.03 billion; euro17.51 billion), helped by brisk sales of the Rogue crossover vehicle in the U.S.

Earnings at Japan's No. 3 automaker, which also makes the …