Pyongyang, October 12 (KCNA) -- Department store chain Takashimaya Co. of Japan said Friday its group net profit in the March-August first half of 2011 business year plunged 35.7 percent from a year earlier.

The German government said on Oct. 6 that its industry orders fell 1.4 percent based on seasonally-adjusted terms in August, compared with the same month of last year. It is said that industrial businesses were in the grip of depression due to decrease of orders.

French car sales dropped 1.4 percent in September over the same period last year.