Nov. 2 (Bloomberg) -- Daihatsu Motor Co., Japan's largest minicar maker, rose on the Tokyo Stock Exchange after Mizuho Securities Co. upgraded its rating on the company to ``strong buy'' yesterday.

Daihatsu shares gained 22 yen, or 1.8 percent, to close at 1,227 yen in Tokyo. Osaka-based Daihatsu said yesterday first- half net income rose 13 percent to 12.6 billion yen ($110 million).

Profit increased on higher sales of Myvi compact cars in Malaysia and Xenia vans in Indonesia. A weaker yen in the first half compared with the year-earlier period helped boost the repatriated value of overseas sales.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average lost 2 percent.

To contact the reporter on this story: Makiko Kitamura in Tokyo at mkitamura1@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: November 2, 2007 04:11 EDT