Bridgestone reports 55 pct profit jump

Bridgestone Corp. said Tuesday its net profit for the 2007 calendar year jumped 55 percent as its brisk tire sales and a weaker yen offset a rise in raw material costs. The Tokyo-based maker of tires and industrial rubber products, jostling for the top spot in global tire sales with France's Michelin, posted a net profit of 131.6 billion yen ($1.22 billion) for 2007, compared with 85.1 billion yen the previous year.