TOKYO, July 1 (Reuters) - Bridgestone Corp. , Japan's biggest tyre maker, is set to book a 9 percent gain in net profit to 97 billion yen ($891.6 million) in the year to December, on strong demand for its products at home and abroad, a newspaper said on Thursday.
Bridgestone, which dominates the world's tyre market along with Goodyear Tyre & Rubber Co. , in February forecast a net profit of 75 billion yen for the year, down 15 percent from a year earlier.
Bridgestone officials were not immediately available for comment.
The daily Nihon Keizai Shimbun said high-priced items were selling well in Japan, helped by an economic recovery, while price rises in January in Europe were improving business there.
Losses at its tyre production and wholesale business in the United States are expected to shrink, the paper said.
Revenues will increase three percent to 2.37 trillion yen, the paper reported. ($1=108.78 Yen)