Global| Feb 03 2015U.S. Light Vehicle Sales Slip M/M; Move Sideways Since August
by:Tom Moeller
|in:Economy in Brief
Summary
Sales of light vehicles declined 1.5% during January to 16.66 million (AR) from 16.92 million in December. Despite a solid 8.9% y/y increase, sales have trended sideways since last summer. Light truck sales have shown strength with [...]
Sales of light vehicles declined 1.5% during January to 16.66 million (AR) from 16.92 million in December. Despite a solid 8.9% y/y increase, sales have trended sideways since last summer.
Light truck sales have shown strength with the decline in gasoline prices, 44.2% since late-June. Light truck sales rose 7.4% during the last six months and 14.2% y/y. In January, sales increased 4.0% to 9.12 million. Domestic light truck sales rose 5.0% (14.8% y/y) to 8.07 million but imported truck sales declined 3.0% (+10.3% y/y) to 1.04 million.
Auto sales declined 5.7% to 7.54 million (+3.1% y/y) during the same six months and they're off 10.6% from the August peak. Domestic auto sales declined 7.0% last month (+6.6% y/y) to 5.47 million while imported car sales fell 8.8% to 2.07 million (-5.0% y/y).
Imports share of the market for light vehicles fell to 18.7% versus a high of 30.7% in February 2009. Imports share of the passenger car market fell to 27.5% from a high of 38.0% and imports share of the light truck market fell to 11.4% from a high of 23.8%.
U.S. vehicle sales figures are published by Autodata and can be found in Haver's USECON database.
General Explanations of the Administration's Fiscal Year 2016 Revenue Proposals from the Department of the Treasury is available here.
| Light Vehicle Sales (SAAR, Mil. Units) | Jan | Dec | Nov | Y/Y % | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 16.66 | 16.92 | 17.20 | 8.9 | 16.49 | 15.58 | 14.48 |
| Autos | 7.54 | 8.16 | 8.18 | 3.1 | 7.91 | 7.78 | 7.42 |
| Domestic | 5.47 | 5.88 | 6.08 | 6.6 | 5.68 | 5.48 | 5.10 |
| Imported | 2.07 | 2.27 | 2.10 | -5.0 | 2.23 | 2.30 | 2.32 |
| Light Trucks | 9.12 | 8.76 | 9.03 | 14.2 | 8.58 | 7.81 | 7.06 |
| Domestic | 8.07 | 7.69 | 7.88 | 14.8 | 7.50 | 6.73 | 6.09 |
| Imported | 1.04 | 1.08 | 1.14 | 10.3 | 1.08 | 1.08 | 0.97 |
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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