TOKYO (Nov. 1, 2001)—The price of Bridgestone Corp. shares climbed more than 12 percent in Thursday trading after reports surfaced that Bridgestone and Ford Motor Co. executives might meet soon to discuss mending severed relations. The stock also received a boost when it was upgraded by Goldman Sachs Group Inc. The price of a share ended the day at 1,297 yen ($10.63). On Oct. 31, Japan's Nihon Keizai Shimbun business daily reported Ford's new management team had approached Bridgestone informally about possible meetings to discuss their differences.
Bridgestone ended its original equipment supply to Ford in the Americas in May 21 after Ford revealed it wanted to recall 13 million Firestone tires. Separately, William Clay Ford Jr., Ford Motor's newly named CEO, was quoted in the New York Times as saying “I would like to have a constructive relationship with Firestone, with Bridgestone, the parent company. Whether that´s possible, I´d certainly be open to it.´´