Category Archives: results

EU Car Sales Decline 10% in March as Crisis Continues

Posted on 17 April 2013 by Ken Zino

Sales of new light vehicles in the EU declined once again in March as the rate of contraction increased. During the month passenger cars sales dropped -10.2% compared to – 9.8% less in the first three months of 2012. It was the eighteenth consecutive month of sales declines. Q1 sales of 2,989,486 were weak and apparently getting weaker as the year continues. Continue reading →

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Global Light Vehicle Sales Steady in March at 81.3 Million Rate

Posted on 16 April 2013 by Ken Zino

Global light vehicles sales stabilized in March with an annualized selling rate of 81.3 million units. China, the United States and Japan continued posting strong, growing results, moving the overall global auto market to near record levels. A slowing in some emerging markets, including India and Russia, is thought to be temporary according to LMC Automotive economists. Continue reading →

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Ford and GM to Develop 9- and 10-Speed Automatic Transmissions

Posted on 16 April 2013 by Ken Zino

Ford Motor Company and General Motors Corporation have signed an agreement whereby both companies will jointly develop an all-new generation of 9- and 10-speed automatic transmissions for cars, crossovers, SUVs and trucks. Continue reading →

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Ford Motor to Pay Q2 Dividend of $0.10 Per Share

Posted on 12 April 2013 by Ken Zino

Ford Motor Company today declared Q2 dividend of $0.10 per share on the company’s outstanding preferred Class B and common stock. This is the same dividend paid in the first quarter of 2013, and twice the amount paid in Q2 last year. The second quarter dividend is payable on June 3, 2013 to shareholders of record on May 3, 2013. Continue reading →

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New Steel Alloys can Outperform Aluminum and Carbon fiber

Posted on 11 April 2013 by Ken Zino

Part of the steel industry’s problem, aside from the overall lack of interest among technically illiterate consumers, is regulatory. While the Obama Administration is in the process of implementing the most stringent emissions and fuel economy standards in history, the Environmental Protection Agency only looks at a crude mile per gallon rating that does not take into effect the energy used and greenhouse gas emissions that result during the creation of the 10,000 or more components that comprise an automobile. Continue reading →

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Daimler AG Sets Dividend at €2.20 a Share

Posted on 10 April 2013 by Ken Zino

At the Annual Shareholders’ Meeting of Daimler AG in Berlin on Wednesday, shareholders approved a dividend for the year 2012 of €2.20 per share, the same as in 2011 for a total dividend payout of €2.35 bllion. Continue reading →

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General Motors Declares Dividend on Series B Stock

Posted on 10 April 2013 by Ken Zino

The dividend on the hybrid stock – a mixture of stock and debt – is cumulative. GM has not paid a dividend on its common stock since 2008 before it entered bankruptcy. The total amount of the dividend is $59.4 million. Continue reading →

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Jaguar Land Rover Set March and Q1 Sales Records

Posted on 10 April 2013 by Ken Zino

Overall and particularly overseas, JLR made impressive gains that eluded it under Ford Motor Company ownership. The Tata owned British automaker had sales of 53,772 in March and 115,504 for Q1 of 2013. This means Jaguar Land Rover has posted its best ever monthly and quarterly global sales performance, up 16% and 17% respectively versus the prior year. Continue reading →

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General Motors to Invest €4 Billion in Loss-Making Opel

Posted on 10 April 2013 by Ken Zino

GM has lost more than $18 billion in Europe since 1999, including $1.8 billion in 2012. GM also wrote down more than $5 billion in assets in the Eurozone, and it wrote off more than half the value of its PSA Citroën stock (-$220 million) acquired latest year in what GM said at the time was a collaboration that would, eventually, save billions. Nothing was really new in today’s speeches. Continue reading →

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General Motors, Ford Set March and Q1 Sales Records in China

Posted on 9 April 2013 by Ken Zino

General Motors and its joint ventures reached all-time highs for March sales in China and Q1 of 2013. Far smaller Ford China also set sales records in March. With total overall light vehicle sales projected at more than 20 million for 2013, China will easily retain its title as the world’s largest auto market followed by the U.S. at more than 15 million. Continue reading →

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Dominion Energy Deal Cuts Emissions at Coal Powered Plants

Posted on 5 April 2013 by Ken Zino

The Department of Justice and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said that Dominion Energy has agreed to pay a $3.4 million civil penalty and spend approximately $9.8 million on environmental mitigation projects to resolve Clean Air Act (CAA) violations. Continue reading →

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EU Commercial Vehicle Sales Plunge 13% in February

Posted on 4 April 2013 by Ken Zino

Demand for new commercial vehicles in the EU during February was down for the fourteenth consecutive month in a decline that hurt all vehicle segments. Continue reading →

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U.S. Trade Deficit with Korea Highest on Record under FTA

Posted on 3 April 2013 by Ken Zino

The U.S. trade deficit with South Korea reached its highest level in history just ten months into the controversial trade agreement, according to the latest data released by the U.S. International Trade Commission. During January the deficit with South Korea was at -$2.4 billion — the largest monthly deficit with Korea on record. Continue reading →

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EPA Voids Import Certificates for More Chinese Recreational Vehicles

Posted on 3 April 2013 by Ken Zino

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today that it is withdrawing approval of the import and sale of up to 74,000 gas-powered motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles from China. The agency said that it received either incomplete or falsified certification information. Continue reading →

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Offshore Brands Increase U.S. Sales and Share During March

Posted on 3 April 2013 by Ken Zino

U.S. vehicle sales of 1.45 million cars and light trucks during March made it the strongest month since 2007 as the Federal Reserve continued to print money and credit flowed freely. In spite of an ongoing recovery in pickup truck sales from the Detroit Three with gasoline prices roughly 30 cents per gallon lower than a year ago, offshore brands, led by the Asians increased their market share to 55.3% compared with 53.4% in February and 54.4% in January. This represented sales 803,554 vehicles from offshore nameplates, up from 636,912 in February and 567,313 units in January. Continue reading →

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