Global| Jul 03 2018U.S. Light Vehicle Sales Improve
by:Tom Moeller
|in:Economy in Brief
Summary
Total sales of light vehicles increased 3.3% during June (4.6% y/y) to 17.47 million units (SAAR) and recovered declines during the prior two months, according to the Autodata Corporation. Nevertheless, the increase left sales 5.9% [...]
Total sales of light vehicles increased 3.3% during June (4.6% y/y) to 17.47 million units (SAAR) and recovered declines during the prior two months, according to the Autodata Corporation. Nevertheless, the increase left sales 5.9% below the 18.57 million unit high reached last September. June sales have declined 2.2% since December, following a 1.7% twelve-month shortfall during 2017.
Sales of light trucks increased 4.8% (12.0% y/y) to 12.01 million units. Domestic light truck sales rose 5.9% (8.0% y/y) to 9.61 million units. Sales of imported light trucks gained 0.4% (32.0% y/y) to 2.40 million units.
Passenger car sales were fairly steady m/m at 5.46 (-8.8% y/y) million units. Sales of domestically-made autos increased 1.3% (-8.3% y/y) to 3.97 million units. Sales of imported passenger cars fell 3.0% (-9.9% y/y) to 1.49 million units.
Trucks' share of the U.S. vehicle market rose to 68.8% in June and remained up versus 63.2% during all of last year and 48.8% during all of 2008.
Imports' share of the U.S. vehicle market eased to 22.3% last month, up from 19.9% in 2015. Imports' share of the passenger car market fell to 27.3% from 27.7% last year. Imports share of the light truck market slipped to 20.0%, up from a 12.7% low during 2014.
U.S. vehicle sales figures can be found in Haver's USECON database.
| Jun | May | Apr | Jun Y/Y % | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 17.47 | 16.91 | 17.17 | 4.6 | 17.27 | 17.55 | 17.48 |
| Autos | 5.46 | 5.44 | 5.43 | -8.8 | 6.35 | 7.10 | 7.73 |
| Domestic | 3.97 | 3.91 | 3.91 | -8.3 | 4.59 | 5.20 | 5.63 |
| Imported | 1.49 | 1.54 | 1.53 | -9.9 | 1.76 | 1.90 | 2.10 |
| Light Trucks | 12.01 | 11.46 | 11.73 | 12.0 | 10.92 | 10.44 | 9.74 |
| Domestic | 9.61 | 9.07 | 9.28 | 8.0 | 9.02 | 8.75 | 8.37 |
| Imported | 2.40 | 2.39 | 2.45 | 32.0 | 1.90 | 1.69 | 1.38 |
Tom Moeller
AuthorMore in Author Profile »Prior to joining Haver Analytics in 2000, Mr. Moeller worked as the Economist at Chancellor Capital Management from 1985 to 1999. There, he developed comprehensive economic forecasts and interpreted economic data for equity and fixed income portfolio managers. Also at Chancellor, Mr. Moeller worked as an equity analyst and was responsible for researching and rating companies in the economically sensitive automobile and housing industries for investment in Chancellor’s equity portfolio. Prior to joining Chancellor, Mr. Moeller was an Economist at Citibank from 1979 to 1984. He also analyzed pricing behavior in the metals industry for the Council on Wage and Price Stability in Washington, D.C. In 1999, Mr. Moeller received the award for most accurate forecast from the Forecasters' Club of New York. From 1990 to 1992 he was President of the New York Association for Business Economists. Mr. Moeller earned an M.B.A. in Finance from Fordham University, where he graduated in 1987. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from George Washington University.
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