Chrysler Earnings Up 8%

Chrysler Corp. said today that its fourth-quarter earnings rose about 8% to $350.2 million from $324.2 million in the year-ago period.

The third-largest auto maker said the quarterly earnings were its second-best ever. Wall Street analysts, however, had been predicting earnings of $375 million to $400 million, and the company’s shares were down $1.50 to $25.50 in early afternoon trading.