Recent Updates
- Markit PMI: Manufacturing Survey - Australia (Dec)
- New Zealand: Business PCI, Business PSI (Nov)
- Saudi Arabia: Cement Deliveries (Nov)
- Iraq: CBI Purchase of FX from MOF (Oct)
- US: Import/Export Prices, Advance Retail Sales (Nov)
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Economy in Brief
Import and Export Prices Increase
Import prices rose 0.2% during November (-1.3% y/y)...
U.S. Business Inventories Rise While Sales Slip
Total business inventories increased 0.2% (3.1% y/y) during October...
Friday 13 of December 2019: An unlucky day for Japan’s Tankan
The manufacturing barometer, which is considered the bellwether of this index, fell to zero in Q4 2019 from 5 in Q3...
U.S. Financial Accounts Show Larger Government Borrowing, Somewhat Less Household Borrowing
Total borrowing in U.S. financial markets rose to $4,266 billion in Q3 2019...
U.S. Producer Prices Are Unexpectedly Tame; Core Prices Weaken
The Producer Price Index for final demand was unchanged during November (1.1% y/y)...
by Tom Moeller November 4, 2004
Unit sales of light vehicles dropped 3.1% m/m in October to a 16.96M selling rate. Consensus expectations had been for sales of 16.7M.
Sales of light trucks gave back all of September's gain with a 7.3% m/m drop as sweetened sales incentives were scaled back and also as gasoline prices breeched $2.00 per gallon. Domestic light truck sales dropped 9.2% m/m but imported light truck sales rose 6.9%.
Total auto sales rose 2.8% m/m for the second consecutive monthly gain on the strength of a 19.4% rise in imported auto sales. Sales of domestic autos fell 3.7%.
Imports' share of the US market for new vehicles ballooned to 22.1%, the highest since early 1991.
| Light Vehicle Sales (SAAR, Mil.Units) | Oct | Sept | Y/Y | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 16.96 | 17.51 | 3.1% | 16.69 | 16.81 | 17.26 |
| Autos | 7.53 | 7.33 | -3.9% | 7.63 | 8.07 | 8.48 |
| Trucks | 9.43 | 10.18 | 8.9% | 9.06 | 8.74 | 8.78 |
