US auto industry posts fourth-biggest year on record thanks to December gains

摘要

1.US auto sales increased 2.2% in December,capping a year that saw overall volume rise 0.6 % even as auto makers endeavored to counter slumping car demand with higher light-truck deliveries.December,with sales of 1.639 million,turned in the second-best month of the year on a volume basis.The final sales tally for 2018 was 17.33 million cars and light trucks,making it the fourth-biggest year on record.The robust December seasonally adjusted,annualized rate of 17.72 million easily topped December 2017's SAAR of 17.44 million and November's 17.55 million sales pace.