Global| Jul 01 2021U.S. Light Vehicle Sales in June Fall Again
by:Tom Moeller
|in:Economy in Brief
Summary
• Car & light truck sales weaken. • Parts shortages play role in weakness. • Both import & domestic sales suffer. The Autodata Corporation reported that light vehicle sales during June declined 10.2% (+16.0% y/y) to 15.35 million [...]
• Car & light truck sales weaken.
• Parts shortages play role in weakness.
• Both import & domestic sales suffer.
The Autodata Corporation reported that light vehicle sales during June declined 10.2% (+16.0% y/y) to 15.35 million units (SAAR). They have fallen 17.9% during the two months since the April peak of 18.69 million units.
Sales of light trucks declined 10.3% (+14.3% y/y) in June to 11.69 million units after falling 9.7% in May from the record 14.43 million in April. Purchases of domestically-made light trucks fell 9.7% (+17.4% y/y) to 8.90 million units after a 10.7% May decline. Sales of imported light trucks were off 12.0% (+5.3% y/y) to 2.79 million, down from April's record 3.39 million units.
Trucks' share of the light vehicle market was unchanged at 76.2% last month.
Passenger car sales fell 10.1% (+22.0% y/y) in June to 3.66 million units after falling 4.7% in May. Purchases of domestically-produced cars weakened 7.8% (+17.2% y/y) to 2.38 million units after falling 7.5% in May. Sales of imported autos were off 14.7% (+32.0% y/y) to 1.28 million following a 2.0% May improvement.
Imports' share of the U.S. vehicle market eased last month to 26.5%, but remained up from 23.2% in December. Imports' share of the passenger car market weakened to 35.0% in June. Imports' share of the light truck market slipped to 23.9%.
U.S. vehicle sales figures can be found in Haver's USECON database. Additional detail by manufacturer is in the INDUSTRY database.
| Light Weight Vehicle Sales (SAAR, Million Units) | Jun | May | Apr | Jun Y/Y % | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 15.35 | 17.10 | 18.69 | 16.0 | 14.55 | 17.06 | 17.32 |
| Autos | 3.66 | 4.07 | 4.27 | 22.0 | 3.54 | 4.82 | 5.40 |
| Domestic | 2.38 | 2.58 | 2.79 | 17.2 | 2.53 | 3.53 | 4.05 |
| Imported | 1.28 | 1.50 | 1.47 | 32.0 | 1.01 | 1.29 | 1.36 |
| Light Trucks | 11.69 | 13.03 | 14.43 | 14.3 | 11.01 | 12.24 | 11.92 |
| Domestic | 8.90 | 9.86 | 11.04 | 17.4 | 8.62 | 9.70 | 9.44 |
| Imported | 2.79 | 3.17 | 3.39 | 5.3 | 2.39 | 2.54 | 2.48 |
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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