US Auto Sales Hit 27 Year Low
Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2009 7:27 pm
U.S. Auto Sales Hit 27-Year Low
It's not just Detroit that's in trouble. The water's also falling on the floor in Stuttgart, Munich, Toyoda City, and other automotive manufacturing centers around the world. That's because for the first month of 2009 Americans bought cars at an annualized rate of 9.57 million cars, the worst level for January—typically a weak month—since 1963 and the worst monthly selling rate since 1981. Industry laggards General Motors (GM) and Chrysler led the losing with sales that fell 48% and 55%, respectively. Ford's (F) sales plunged 40%, while several Asian automakers reported big drops as well.
Record low consumer confidence, stingy lenders, and a deep decline in demand among fleet buyers such as rental car companies have kept auto sales in the tank. While carmakers say some banks are starting to loosen up lending standards, it hasn't been enough to jump-start car sales stalled out last fall by the collapse of credit and stock markets. "Our business is based on credit more than any other industry," says Mike DiGiovanni, executive director of global market analysis.
http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnf ... B+analysis
It's not just Detroit that's in trouble. The water's also falling on the floor in Stuttgart, Munich, Toyoda City, and other automotive manufacturing centers around the world. That's because for the first month of 2009 Americans bought cars at an annualized rate of 9.57 million cars, the worst level for January—typically a weak month—since 1963 and the worst monthly selling rate since 1981. Industry laggards General Motors (GM) and Chrysler led the losing with sales that fell 48% and 55%, respectively. Ford's (F) sales plunged 40%, while several Asian automakers reported big drops as well.
Record low consumer confidence, stingy lenders, and a deep decline in demand among fleet buyers such as rental car companies have kept auto sales in the tank. While carmakers say some banks are starting to loosen up lending standards, it hasn't been enough to jump-start car sales stalled out last fall by the collapse of credit and stock markets. "Our business is based on credit more than any other industry," says Mike DiGiovanni, executive director of global market analysis.
http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnf ... B+analysis