Turin, Italy - Italian industrial group Fiat reported Wednesday a 3-per-cent rise in second-quarter profit over the previous year - a performance sustained by an increase of sales in its auto division including strong growth in the Brazilian market.

Net profit before minority interests totalled 646 million euros (1.02 billion dollars) from 627 million euros for the same period last year, the Turin-based company said in a statement.

Sales rose by nearly 12 per cent to 17 billion euros, it said.

The company's main auto division, which makes Fiat branded models - including the Punto, Bravo and Fiat 500 - as well as Alfa Romeo, Lancia, Maserati and Ferrari, recorded a 14-per-cent climb in sales to 8.4 billion euros.

Trading profit at the auto division jumped 36 per cent to 360 million euros.

The division delivered 644,000 units, an 11-per-cent increase over the same period in 2007, thanks to strong performances in France and Germany where volumes were up by 62 and 30 per cent respectively. Growth in Brazil remained strong with a 27-per-cent increase.

Following the announcement of the results, Fiat shares on the Milan stock exchange rose by mid-morning by as much as 7 per cent to 11.30 euros.

Fiat ended four years of losses in 2005 when it released a slew of new models and began cutting costs by sharing more components among cars and with competitors. (dpa)