Looking at sales so far this month in the U.S., J.D. Power and Associates says the rate of decline in new-vehicle retail sales has slowed this month versus the last 12 months, but what the firm calls "a high level of consumer uncertainty" means that retail sales are still flat. And there will be a delay in market recovery of two to three months beyond the spring selling season.
Banking on what the dealers have seen in the first two selling weeks of May, the firm predicts that new-vehicle retail sales for the month of May will come down at 716,000 units, representing a seasonally adjusted annualized rate (SAAR) of 7.6 million units. If so, May will be down by 36% from one year ago, but up by 9% compared with April 2009, per the company. Because of that halting recovery, it is downgrading its 2009 forecast by 400,000 units to 10 million, with 8.3 million of that comprised by retail sales at dealerships. Of that 400,000, 230,000 will be fewer retail sales, predicts J.D. Power, and the rest will be fleet. " Excerps from "Media Daily" of MediaPost Publications
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