Thursday, April 01, 2010

Auto Sales Rebound From Extremely Depressed Levels; Ford Kills Volvo; Think's Electric Cars Roll Into New York

Auto sales are up, but not as much as meets the eye. For example GM sales are reported up 21% but adjusted for the number of sales days, the figure is 16%. Please consider GM 21% U.S. Sales Gain Trails Estimates as Lineup Cut http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid= ... Lmpj63ZoYk

General Motors Co. posted a 21 percent increase in March U.S. sales that trailed analysts’ estimates as a cutback in domestic brands damped the company’s gains in a strengthening auto market.

Deliveries rose to 188,546 from 156,380 a year earlier, GM said today. The Detroit-based automaker is finishing the disposal of half of its eight U.S. vehicle lines under a plan to return to profit after a government-backed bankruptcy.

The results showed GM’s challenge in trying to retain the top spot in the U.S. in a month when industry sales may have run at the fastest pace since 2009’s “cash for clunkersâ€