TOKYO, Oct 24 (Reuters) - Shares in Nissan Motor Co Ltd jumped 7.07 percent to 1,000 yen, the highest level since May, in afternoon trade on Thursday, a day after the car firm reported a record first-half operating profit.
The Nikkei average was down 1.35 percent at 8,596.67.
Shares in Nissan -- the first of Japan's big automakers to report figures for the six months to September 30 -- were also boosted by a rating upgrade by Nikko Salomon Smith Barney.
Japan's third-largest automaker said after the market closed on Wednesday that preliminary group operating profit jumped 84 percent to 348 billion yen ($2.79 billion) for the six months ended September 30, thanks to strong sales of new models.
Nissan forecast another record result for the full year, seeing a 47 percent rise in group operating profit for 2002/03 to a record 720 billion yen, up from its May forecast of 553 billion yen.