AUTOS

Ford Motor Co. Predicts Lower Profits: Weaker U.S. automotive markets and costly launches of replacements for the company’s two top-selling vehicles mean fourth-quarter and full-year profits will be lower than last year’s, Chairman Alex Trotman said. In a year-end briefing, Trotman and other top executives said they did not expect year-over-year earnings improvements until the second half of 1996. However, Ford’s Financial Services Group, which contributed nearly $1.5 billion to that total, is expected to have another record year in 1995, “more than 30% higher than last year,” Trotman said. Ford shares closed 25 cents higher at $28.625 on the New York Stock Exchange.