TOKYO: Panasonic on Friday said its net profit plunged 52.2 percent to 80.9 billion yen ($729 million) for the six months to September, but it lifted its full-year forecast partially due to strong solar panel sales.

The Osaka-based company raised its full-year net profit forecast to 175 billion yen from an earlier estimate of 140 billion yen for the fiscal year to next March.

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2014