The auto industry had a strong month in June as consumers continued to purchase light trucks at a high clip. The seasonally adjusted sales rate for June was 17.47 million, up from 16.72 million one year ago.

“We’re in a good, old-fashioned bull market right now,” Charlie Chesbrough, senior economist for Cox Automotive, told Bloomberg News. “There’s been quite a bit of concern regarding trade and tariffs, but car buyers don’t seem to be worried yet.”

All of the big dealers reported gains in June.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ sales were 8 percent higher in June compared to a year ago. Also showing year-over-year sales gains were Honda (+4.8 percent), Toyota (+3.6 percent), Nissan (+1.2 percent) and Ford (+1.2 percent). General Motors, which only releases quarterly sales, reported a 4.6 percent gain in the second quarter compared to last year.

Sales of light trucks increased from 11.5 million to 12 million annualized units; car sales held at 5.5 million annualized units during June, according to Autodata Corp. data.

“Sales of light trucks continue to buoy the market, and June was the fourth consecutive month where light truck sales accounted for more than two-thirds of total units sold,” Yun Cohen, research assistant at the National Association of Federally-Insured Credit Unions, said in a statement.

Still, Cohen had concerns that the second half of the year might not be as promising as the first.

“New vehicle sales currently face several headwinds including higher borrowing costs, tightening access to credit and increasing competition from the used-car market,” he said. “In addition, potential tariffs on auto related imports could significantly inflate costs and further dampen sales.”

Auto Sales Increase in June, but Risk of Slowdown Remains

by Banker & Tradesman time to read: 1 min
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