The results came as proof that Shin-Etsu has built up a system that churns out earnings growth in a stable manner.

Some investors are relieved that Suzuki shares won't be flooding the market. The agreement also cleared some uncertainty about Suzuki's relationship with GM.

Fundamentally, there's nothing negative you can point to with Toyota.

A weaker yen is definitely positive for Mazda and other automakers. Mazda's earnings are also helped by the rising popularity of its vehicles.

The operating result was good, but the company's hedging policy didn't work out this time.

A lack of new models, especially compact cars, trimmed sales last month. Consumers have a strong appetite for more value-added vehicles like Lexus.