Sony profits jump even as PlayStation sales start to slide

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STORY: It’s best known for its PlayStation games consoles.

But that's not what’s driving profits at Sony right now.

In fact, sales of the gaming machines were down over the first quarter.

And it expects to sell nearly three million fewer than the year before.

But profits at the tech and entertainment group - which makes music, movies, games and chips - still rose over the latest quarter - increasing 10% to $1.9 billion, beating analyst forecasts.

Rising sales of image sensors was one driver, with Sony a big supplier to smartphone makers.

A weak yen has also helped the firm, boosting the value of its overseas earnings.

However, that could now be changing, with a recent rise for the Japanese currency prompting investors to reassess their calculations for the country’s big firms.

That has been one factor in the recent turmoil for Japanese stocks, which saw heavy falls earlier in the week before bouncing back.

The wider gaming industry also faces a battle with headwinds including rising costs.

Last week, Sony-owned game developer Bungie said it was cutting almost a fifth of its workforce as a result.