Category Archives: economy

US June Vehicle Sales Forecast is Down on Record Prices

New-vehicle retail sales in Q2 2022 are projected to reach 2,977,300 units, a 23.3% decrease from Q2 2021 when adjusted for selling days. New-vehicle retail sales for the first six months 2022 are projected to reach 5,827,300 units, a 19.1% decrease from the first six months of 2021 when adjusted for selling days. The first half of 2021 was an all-time record for retail sales. Power/LMC make no note of the Federal Reserve Board, which appears to be dedicated to sending and keeping the economy in a recession. Continue reading

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Europe’s Diesel Addiction Continues Starting with Germany

This was “in a depressed market that is suffering not only from supply issues, but perhaps starting to feel the beginnings of a consumer slowdown, although that is thought to be a relatively minor part of the problem as the order backlog remains significant,” the respected LMC Automotive* consultancy said today. Continue reading

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No Joy in May Global Light Vehicles Sales

In year-over-year comparison terms, sales were down 10%. In China, the reopening of manufacturing facilities in mid-April supported a rebound in sales for a moment. In the US, the industry is beset with problems, many of them self-inflected, including record high transaction prices, low inventory, and low incentives. Continue reading

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Digital Media Decimating Print Publishing Revenues

The explosive growth of digital media and technology continues to have a ruinous impact on print publishing industry revenues, the US Census Bureau said today. Continue reading

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US May Auto Sales – Record Prices as Sales Plunge -29%

“Headwinds continue to stack against a sustained market recovery and stability in vehicle supply. We expect the economy and auto market to remain plagued by volatility for the foreseeable future. Given the elevated risk, it is plausible for 2022 to turn to negative from the 2021 level, with volume down to 14.7 million units. Continue reading

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BREXIT Curse – UK Car Production Falls -11.3% in April

UK car production fell -11.3% in April year-on-year with 60,554 units rolling off factory lines, according to the latest figures released today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). The ongoing global shortage of semi-conductors, the impact of … Continue reading

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Pure EV Sales at All-Time Record in US

Pure EV Sales at All-Time Record in US, whose transaction prices are close to a $70,000 making them a new category – Luxury Clean – in AutoInformed’s view. Republicans, with a history of backing from Big Oil, continue to block the Biden Administration’s Build Back Better bill that addresses drastic climate change and prepares the way for a cleaner future. Continue reading

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CBO – Taxpayer Cost is $31B for Troubled Asset Relief Program

To AutoInformed’s knowledge not one person at the firms responsible has been successfully prosecuted for what was rampant financial fraud that caused the housing and stock markets to collapse as the ratings agencies paid by the swindlers continued to claim the complex financial instruments issued were investment grade when they were indeed junk. Junk bonds – never has a financial instrument so honestly been named. Continue reading

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Toyota Annual Results Show Profitability Struggle Goes On

So in Toyota’s view its profitability struggle goes on. Akio Toyoda said consolidated vehicle sales for the period were 8.230 million units, which was 107.6% of consolidated vehicle sales for the same period of the previous 2021 fiscal year. The year-end dividend will be 28 yen per share. Thus, Toyota finds itself pretty much in the same place as all other major automakers. Continue reading

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Transportation Unemployment Rate Below Pre-Pandemic Level

The April 2022 rate fell 3.9 percentage points from 7.5% in April 2021 and decreased close to the pre-pandemic April level of 3.7% in April 2019. Unemployment in the transportation sector reached its highest level during the COVID-19 pandemic (15.7%) in May and July 2020 under the policies of the voted-out Trump mis-administration. Continue reading

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Auto Loan, Lease Total at Record $1.3 Trillion during 2021

“Auto finance growth in 2021 was largely driven by strong – and expensive – used cars, which bolstered originations,” said Marcie Belles, author of the report… “many financiers recorded lower ratios of new cars in their portfolios. Still, origination volume has been nearly restored to pre-COVID levels, and it continues to climb.” Continue reading

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GM 2021 Sustainability Report – Equitable Climate Actions

The report comes after a Q1 earnings report that showed financial performance that was down for shareholders – at $1.35 per share, off  $0.68 compared year-over-year. Overall, Q1 net earnings of $ 2,939,000,000 came from $11 billion in revenue, with a Net Income margin of 8.2%, down 1.1 ppts.* GM’s Q1 market share was 9% on sales of 1.4 million units. Market share was down year-over-year due to semiconductor shortages and lack of dealer inventory. GM has an ambitious strategy that it must execute almost flawlessly to retain its position among other leading global automakers. Continue reading

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Commerce Releases Plan to Boost America’s Competitiveness

While Commerce has revised its mission statement to underscore the connection between its programs and all Americans, specifically the Department’s mission is to create the conditions for economic growth and opportunity for all communities, AutoInformed thinks it’s going to take a lot more than publicity releases. What needs to happen in our view is to accomplish real change and have resentful people not only endorse and help in its implementation, but also to recognize that government can make things better for the common good despite the abject failures of the previous Administration to do so. Since Ronald Reagan the Republican party has said government is the problem while proving exactly that under successive Republican mis-administrations. Continue reading

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Renault Group Industrial Activities in Russia Suspended

Renault Group had previously taken  the necessary measures to comply with international sanctions. However, President Biden is known to be pushing for further sanctions, and is visiting the EU in Brussels today, and then going to Poland. Continue reading

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SEC – New Rules on Climate-Related Disclosures for Investors

The required information about climate-related risks also would include disclosure of a registrant’s greenhouse gas emissions, which have become a commonly used metric to assess a registrant’s exposure to such risks. No doubt the anti-environment anti-democracy pro-Putin Republican party will fiercely fight the SEC. The global auto industry is rushing to address climate change with its headlong rush into electric vehicles. This should clarify the ongoing avalanche of green statements from makers and suppliers and help customers understand how committed the companies are. Continue reading

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