Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Nissan made a profit for the last three months of 2009.

The Japanese carmaker made a profit of 45 billion yen ($US500 million) in the October to December period, compared with a loss of 83 billion yen a year earlier.

It now says it expects to make a full-year profit of about 35 billion yen, instead of the loss previously predicted.

Nissan said scrappage schemes in major markets and sales growth in China had provided a boost to sales volumes.

The company sold 882,000 vehicles worldwide in the three-month period, an increase of 20.6% on the previous year.