Toyota's North American Production Back to 100%

TED ALJIBE/AFP/Getty Images(TORRANCE, Calif.) -- For the first time since the earthquake and tsunami that rocked Japan earlier this year, Toyota has returned to normal production levels in the U.S.

The Japanese automaker announced Tuesday that its North American vehicle production is back to 100 percent, well ahead of schedule.  The company had predicted it would return to full capacity by November or December of this year.

Toyota was forced to cut back production after the March 11 disasters in Japan caused a shortage of Japanese-made parts.

The automaker makes 12 vehicles in North America, including the Camry, Corolla, Tacoma, RAV 4 and Highlander.

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East Coast Quake Doesn't Shake Stocks

Comstock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) -- A dismal housing report didn't bother investors, and even an earthquake couldn't keep the markets down.
 
The Dow closed up 320 points, back above the 11,000 mark, the Nasdaq gained 101 points and the S&P added 39 Tuesday.
 
The New York Stock Exchange says a magnitude 5.8 quake on the East Coast may have rattled some traders' nerves but didn't affect activity in the markets.

Last year was the worst for new home sales in half a century. This year could be even worse.  The number of people who bought new homes fell again in July for the fourth consecutive month.  The number sold was less than half the 700,000 economists say makes for a healthy market.
 
The nation's banks are slowly recovering.  The FDIC says earnings were up in the second quarter. It's the eighth straight quarter of increased profits.

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Toyota: Production at Japanese Plants to Return to 90% in June

TED ALJIBE/AFP/Getty Images(TOKYO) -- Toyota will be ramping up production in Japan to near full-capacity levels as early as June, according to the BBC.

Paul Nolasco, a spokesman for the Japanese automaker, told the BBC on Tuesday that the company now expects production at its Japanese factories to be carried out at 90 percent capacity during this month.

This latest prediction differs from the company's previous assessment on May 11, when Toyota said its factories would operate at 70 percent capacity by June.

Toyota was forced to stop manufacturing vehicles in Japan after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami struck. The company began resuming vehicle production at all of its Japanese plants on April 18.

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Sony Revises Earnings Report, Predicts $3.2 Billion Loss

Comstock Images/Thinkstock(TOKYO) -- Sony has revised its forecast for the fiscal year ended March 31, announcing Monday that it now expects to report a loss of 260 billion yen, or $3.2 billion.

The company had previously expected to make a profit of 70 billion yen, or $860 million.  Its official earnings report is scheduled to be released on Thursday.

Sony attributed their negative projections to the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that rocked Japan, causing 10 of its factories and two of its research centers in the country to shut down.

Nine out of the 10 factories resumed production at the end of April.  The last one, which produces Blu-Ray discs, is expected to be back up and running by the end of this month.

Furthermore, Sony has been in the hotseat lately, dealing with a massive security breach to its PlayStation Network that jeopardized the personal information of 100 million users. 

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Toyota: North American Production to Return to 70% by June

PRNewsFoto/Toyota Media Relations(TOKYO) -- Toyota says it will boost North American production earlier than it had previously expected following the 9.0 magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami that devastated parts of Japan, knocking out some key production facilities and delaying exports.

“Beginning in June, overall North American production will reach approximately 70 percent of normal levels, up from approximately 30 percent in May,” the company said in a Wednesday press release, citing a an “improvement in parts availability from Japan.”

The company said it hopes to return to full production by “late this year.”

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Toyota Reports 77% Drop in Fourth Quarter Profit

TED ALJIBE/AFP/Getty Images(TOKYO) -- Toyota released its latest quarterly report Wednesday, showing a 77 percent drop in profit for the company's fourth quarter.

The Japanese automaker said its net income fell to 25.4 billion yen, or about $314 million, for the three months ended March 31.  During the same time period in 2010, the company made 112.2 billion yen.

Meanwhile, Toyota's fourth quarter sales fell 12 percent and operating profits were down 52 percent from last year.

These sluggish figures are mainly due to the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan, causing disruptions in production.

Toyota said on Wednesday that it expects global production to be carried out at 70 percent capacity by June.  Currently, Japanese production plants are operating at half capacity, while North American plants are running at 30 percent capacity due to parts shortages.

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Toyota Cutting Back Production in North American Through June

TED ALJIBE/AFP/Getty Images(ERLANGER, Ky.) -- Toyota announced Tuesday it plans to cut back on production at its North American plants through early June due to parts shortages stemming from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan.

The Japanese automaker said it will continue to suspend production on Mondays and Fridays -- a schedule the company started on April 15 -- through June 3.  During that time span, production at the North American plants will operate at half capacity on the days they are open -- Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Production will also be suspended for the week of May 23 in Canada and for the week of May 30 in the U.S. to observe the Victoria Day holiday and the Memorial Day holiday, respectively.

Toyota said no layoffs are planned during this adjustment in production, and that it will determine its production rate beyond June 3 at a later date.

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Toyota Resumes Vehicle Production at All Japanese Plants

TED ALJIBE/AFP/Getty Images(TOKYO) -- Toyota resumed vehicle production at all of its Japanese plants Monday, just over a month after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan forced the company to shut down most of its operations in the country.

The Japanese automaker said it will build cars through April 27, after which production facilities will go on their annual spring holiday break until May 10.  The plants will operate at about half capacity leading up to the break and between May 10 and June 3.  Production rates after June 3 will be determined after the automaker assesses its parts supply.

Toyota was forced to stop manufacturing vehicles in Japan after the quake struck.  Most recently, the automaker had resumed producing repair and replacement parts in the country.

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Toyota to Resume Vehicle Production at All Plants in Japan

TED ALJIBE/AFP/Getty Images(TOKYO) -- After having to shut down most of its operations in Japan due to the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, Toyota announced Friday that it will begin producing vehicles again at all of its Japanese plants on April 18.

The Japanese automaker said it will build cars through April 27, after which production facilities will go on their annual spring holiday break until May 10.  The plants will operate at about half capacity leading up to the break, and post-holiday production will be determined after the automaker assesses its parts supply.

Toyota was forced to stop manufacturing vehicles in Japan after the quake struck.  Most recently, the automaker had resumed producing repair or replacement parts in the country.

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Toyota Dealerships in US Facing Shortage of Prius Hybrids

Toyota(TOKYO) -- As Japan wrestles with its radiation and earthquake problems, half a world away, U.S. car dealers are wrestling with another problem.

Hybrids remain in high demand, especially with the recent rise in gas prices, but some dealerships are running out of inventory.

Some Toyota showrooms in the country don't have any more models of its hybrid, the Prius, left in stock.  The Japanese automaker will not be able to restock its supply until full production of the vehicles can resume in Japan.

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