Honda’s profit rises on weak yen, strong motorcycle sales

By YURI KAGEYAMA
AP Business Writer

TOKYO (AP) — Honda’s fiscal second quarter profit rose nearly 14% as a weaker yen boosted its overseas earnings and strong demand raised sales of its vehicles and motorcycles. Tokyo-based Honda reported a July-September profit of 189.2 billion yen, or $1.3 billion. Quarterly sales rose 25%. Honda Group sold nearly 5 million motorcycles in the last quarter, up from 4.2 million motorcycles a year earlier. It sold 970,000 vehicles, up from 917,000. Honda’s operations were hurt by a semiconductor shortage that has slammed the global auto industry. Rising costs for raw materials also hit its results.