Oxford, UK – World car registrations in October 2019 were down 3.8% compared with the same month in 2018 at 7.40 m units, according to LMC Automotive.
In the US sales were lower by 2.0% in October. They reached 1.3 m units. In the same month in 2018 US dealers sold 1.4m units.
Meanwhile, in China, according to LMC Automotive, sales hit 2.3 m units and were down 4.1% on October 2018. In the same month in 2018 Chinese dealers sold 2.4m units.
At the same time,in Western Europe sales were 1.3m units in the month. This is higher than the amount sold in October 2018 by 7%.
Sales in Brazil and Argentina fell to 272,000 units in the month. This compares with 29 ,000 units in the same month in 2018.
Consultants LMC Automotive said that this 'uninspiring picture' is due to a series of one-off events. The UAW strike at General Motors in the US was one factor. Japan was hit by Hurricane Hagbis and there was an increase in consumption tax there too. Demand in China has also softened, LMC Automotive added. It continued that there is room for selling rates to improve in Europe.
