Hundreds of people demonstrated in front of the offices of Japanese automaker Nissan in the northeastern city of Barcelona on Tuesday to protest its plan to cut 1,680 jobs in Spain.

Some threw eggs, publicity hoardings and other objects at the building as the demonstrators blocked the city's Gran Via avenue for about one hour.

Chrysler is no longer in talks with Renault-Nissan, leaving General Motors the apparent lead candidate to acquire the US automaker, The Wall Street Journal said in its online edition Sunday.

Japan`s Nissan Motor Co. said Friday it was axing 3,500 jobs worldwide and cut its full-year forecasts by two-thirds as the global economic crisis shakes the auto industry.

Japan`s third largest automaker, which is controlled by France`s Renault, said that profits for the first half slumped by 40.5 percent on a sharp slowdown in the key US market and the soaring value of the yen.

Japan`s Nissan Motor Co. reported Friday a 40.5 percent slump in half-year net profits and predicted annual earnings would plunge by two-thirds due to weak global markets and a strong yen.

Nissan posted a net profit of 126.34 billion yen (1.3 billion dollars) for the six months to September, down from 212.42 billion the previous year.

Nissan Motor Co. said Thursday it was cutting 780 jobs and a Toyota subsidiary said it was also considering layoffs as part of efforts to cope with a shrinking US market.

Nissan, Japan`s third-largest automaker, will not be renewing contracts for about 40 percent of its 2,000 contract workers at its domestic plants, a company spokeswoman said.

Hundreds of people marched here Wednesday to protest plans by Japanese automaker Nissan to cut 1,680 jobs at its Barcelona plant in response to falling demand around the world.

The head of the Renault-Nissan automaker group on Tuesday warned that the worst of the global financial crisis was yet to come, saying it could last into 2010.

BARCELONA, Spain, Oct 23, 2008 (AFP) - Thousands of people marched through the streets of Barcelona on Thursday to protest plans by Japanese automaker Nissan to cut 1,680 jobs at its plant in the northeastern Spanish port city in response to falling demand around the world.

Nissan Motor Co. said Tuesday it would cut Japanese production of large and luxury cars meant for export to the United States as demand slows in the world`s largest economy.

Japan`s third largest automaker will reduce production of its Infinity brand luxury cars and its Murano and Rogue sports utility vehicles by a total of 65,000 units between November and March.

MADRID, Oct 13, 2008 (AFP) - Japanese automaker Nissan announced Monday it would cut 1,680 jobs in Barcelona, northeastern Spain, as the economic downturn in Europe weakened demand for its larger 4X4 and trucks.

'Several factors have led to this decision,' a company statement said, such as 'the global economic crisis which has caused a dramatic decline in the total industry volume.'

DETROIT, Michigan, Oct 11, 2008 (AFP) - US automaker Chrysler considered several new partnership options Saturday, including mergers with Renault-Nissan and General Motors, industry and union official said.

DETROIT, Michigan, Oct 12, 2008 (AFP) - US automaker Chrysler considered several new partnership options Sunday, including mergers with Renault-Nissan and General Motors, industry and union officials said.

TOKYO, September 4, 2008 (AFP) - Nissan Motor Corp. launched Thursday its first clean-running diesel vehicle in Japan in a bid to open up a new market by rebranding the fuel as eco-friendly.

TOKYO, September 3, 2008 (AFP) - Nissan is considering developing plug-in hybrid vehicles that can be charged at home, as it seeks to catch up with its rivals in fuel-sipping cars, an official said Wednesday.

TOKYO, August 29, 2008 (AFP) - Nissan Motor Co. on Friday become the latest automaker to announce price hikes for some of its vehicles in response to skyrocketing steel costs.

Japan's number three automaker said it will raise the price of several light commercial vehicles in Japan by an average of 2.2 percent from October 1.

TOKYO, August 6, 2008 (AFP) - Nissan Motor Co. unveiled a new prototype electric vehicle Wednesday with batteries twice as powerful as conventional technology, aiming to take a lead in zero-emission cars.

TOKYO, August 4, 2008 (AFP) - For drivers who like to step on the gas but don't want a higher fuel bill, Nissan Motor on Monday unveiled an accelerator pedal that pushes back to help motorists get more mileage.

Nissan's 'Eco Pedal' system is the latest salvo in the fight between automakers to woo customers with technology that reduces fuel consumption.

TOKYO, August 1, 2008 (AFP) - Nissan Motor Co. said Friday its net profit tumbled 42.8 percent in the fiscal first quarter, hit by a stronger yen, high raw material costs and a slowing global economy.

TOKYO, August 1, 2008 (AFP) - Japan's Nissan Motor Co. said Friday its net profit tumbled 42.8 percent in the fiscal first quarter, hit by a stronger yen, high raw material costs and a slowing global economy.

Net profit fell to 52.80 billion yen (489 million dollars) in the three months to June from 92.31 billion a year earlier, a company statement said.

NASHVILLE, July 22, 2008 (AFP) - The global auto industry is heading down an unsustainable path and needs new technology to cope with record fuel costs, Nissan-Renault chairman Carlos Ghosn said Tuesday.

TOKYO, July 18, 2008 (AFP) - The Renault-Nissan alliance said Friday that it would invest one billion rand (132 million dollars) in South Africa to produce two vehicles.

Renault will start producing its Sandero hatchback next year at a Nissan plant in Rosslyn, South Africa, the first time the French automaker has produced a vehicle in South Africa, the two companies said.

PARIS, June 6, 2008 (AFP) - French carmaker Renault and its Japanese partner Nissan said Friday they will build a car plant in the Indian port city of Chennai that will produce about 400,000 cars a year from 2010.

The companies said in a statement they have set up a joint venture that will invest 780 million euros (1.2 billion dollars) in the plant.

TOKYO, May 13, 2008 (AFP) - Japan's Nissan Motor Co. said Tuesday it expects net profit to tumble almost 30 percent this year due to sluggish sales in maturing markets, a stronger yen and high material costs.

TOKYO, May 13, 2008 (AFP) - Japan's Nissan Motor Co. said Tuesday it expects net profit to tumble 29.5 percent this year due to a weak US car market, a stronger yen and high material costs.

The cautious outlook came as Nissan reported a 4.7 percent rise in net earnings in the last financial year to March to 482.26 billion yen (4.7 billion dollars).

MUMBAI, May 12, 2008 (AFP) - Renault-Nissan and India's Bajaj group said Monday they planned to make a 2,500-dollar car by early 2011, the second effort to make a cheap car for the South Asian nation's rapidly growing middle class.

PARIS, May 12, 2008 (AFP) - Renault-Nissan and the Indian group Bajaj announced a joint venture Monday to produce a 2,500-dollar (1,600-euro) car, with sales expected to begin in India in early 2011.

The joint venture would be 50 percent owned by Bajaj Auto, 25 percent by Renault and 25 percent by Nissan, said a staement. The budget car is so far only known as 'Codename ULC.'

CHICAGO, April 14, 2008 (AFP) - Chrysler LLC and Japan's Nissan Motor Co. said Monday they will expand their current partnership to include the production of vehicles to be sold in North America, Europe and other global markets.

GENEVA, March 5, 2008 (AFP) - Renault-Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn said Wednesday that Nissan would launch an electric car in the United States in 2010, which would be introduced to the global market by both brands two years later.

'Nissan is working on an electric vehicle which will be launched in the US in 2010,' Ghosn told journalists on the sidelines of the Geneva Auto Show.

GENEVA, March 4, 2008 (AFP) - Japanese carmakers were first off the grid Tuesday at the Geneva auto show, showcasing their latest environmentally friendly designs in an industry desperate to wave its 'green' credentials.

TOKYO, Feb 22, 2008 (AFP) - Nissan Motors and French partner Renault have signed an agreement confirming their plan to build a new plant near Chennai in India, the Japanese carmaker said Friday.

TOKYO, Feb 1, 2008 (AFP) - Nissan Motor Co. said Friday that its net profits surged 26.6 percent in the third quarter, snapping a one-year downturn as new model launches boosted demand in a sluggish global economy.

TOKYO, Feb 1, 2008 (AFP) - Nissan Motor Co. said Friday that its net profits jumped by 26.6 percent in the third quarter, snapping out of a recent slump as new model launches boosted demand.

Nissan, Japan's third-largest automaker, said net profit came to 132.22 billion yen (1.24 billion dollars) in the three months to December.

DETROIT, Michigan, Jan 14, 2008 (AFP) - Nissan Motor Co. is girding itself for a lengthy battle with Chinese automakers over global market share, the Japanese automaker's second-in-command told AFP.

'We are not waiting for the Chinese to enter mature markets and make our lives difficult there,' said senior vice president Carlos Tavares.

DETROIT, Michigan, Jan 11, 2008 (AFP) - Chrysler LLC and Japan's Nissan Motor Co. said Friday they will team up to sell a car in South America as the automakers look to extend their cooperation.

NEW DELHI, Jan 5, 2008 (AFP) - Indian vehicle maker Mahindra and Mahindra may pull out of a joint venture with France's Renault and Japan's Nissan to build a one-billion-dollar car plant in India, media reports said Saturday.

MADRID, Jan 4, 2008 (AFP) - Nissan, Japan's third-largest automaker, will lay off about 10 percent of its workers, or 450 people, at its factory in Barcelona, the latest in a series of job cuts by the auto sector in Spain.

The staff reduction will be carried out in April, the company said late Thursday.