Hyundai earnings leap on stimulus

Firm's Q4 profit quadruples as global retail sales rise 52 percent

SEOUL: Hyundai Motor Co, South Korea's largest automaker, almost quadrupled fourth-quarter profit after government stimulus packages helped it boost global retail auto sales 52 percent.

Net income rose to 945.5 billion won ($822 million) from 243.5 billion won a year earlier, the Seoul-based carmaker said yesterday. That compares with the 815.6 billion won median of 22 analyst estimates compiled by Bloomberg. Sales gained 9.3 percent to 9.65 trillion won.