Global| Dec 02 2010U.S. Vehicle Sales Stay Flat At Improved Level
by:Tom Moeller
|in:Economy in Brief
Summary
Unit sales of light vehicles remained unchanged last month versus October at 12.26M units (SAAR). Sales were stronger than expectations for 12.0M. (Seasonal adjustment of these figures is provided by the U.S. Bureau of Economic [...]
Unit sales of light vehicles remained unchanged last month versus
October at 12.26M units (SAAR). Sales were stronger than expectations for 12.0M.
(Seasonal adjustment of these figures is provided by the U.S. Bureau of Economic
Analysis.) So far this year, monthly sales averaged 11.49M (AR), up 11.4% from
last year's first eleven months.
Light truck sales slipped 0.5% m/m led by a 2.4% decline in domestics to 5.30M following a 10.5% October spurt. Sales of imported light trucks increased 9.9% m/m to 1.07M after a 1.1% October increase. Auto sales rose 0.6% to 5.89M, recovering a 0.5% slip. A 3.8% increase in domestics offset a 4.5% decline in imports.
For the month, import's share of the U.S. light vehicle market held m/m at 26.4%. (Imported vehicles are those produced outside the United States.) Imports' share of the U.S. car market fell to 36.8% from the October record. Still, it was above the 34.7% for all of 2009. Imports' share of the light truck market improved m/m to 16.8% and remained below the 19.7% during all of last year.
The U.S. vehicle sales figures can be found in Haver's USECON database.
| Light Vehicle Sales (SAAR, Mil. Units) | Nov. | Oct. | Sept. | Nov. Y/Y % |
2009 | 2008 | 2007 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 12.26 | 12.26 | 11.76 | 12.9 | 10.38 | 13.22 | 16.16 |
| Autos | 5.89 | 5.85 | 5.88 | 4.1 | 5.45 | 6.76 | 7.58 |
| Domestic | 3.72 | 3.59 | 3.61 | -1.7 | 3.56 | 4.44 | 5.06 |
| Imported | 2.16 | 2.27 | 2.28 | 15.9 | 1.89 | 2.32 | 2.52 |
| Light Trucks | 6.37 | 6.41 | 5.88 | 22.5 | 4.93 | 6.46 | 8.60 |
| Domestic | 5.30 | 5.43 | 4.92 | 22.6 | 3.96 | 5.28 | 7.10 |
| Imported | 1.07 | 0.97 | 0.96 | 22.0 | 0.96 | 1.18 | 1.47 |
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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