Global auto sales to rise 1.5% this year; uncertainty in US
Total 2017 global light vehicle sales will reach 93.5 million units, up 1.5 percent from 2016, predicts IHS Markit. But industry risk in mature markets such as the United States is at the highest level it has been since the Lehman Brothers collapse and global industry downturn from 2008 through 2010.
–Political uncertainty could cause a significant rift in light vehicle sales both in the U.S. and Europe, as both regions are undergoing fluctuations in policy, leadership and other dynamics,” said Henner Lehne, senior director, global vehicle group for IHS Markit.
U.S. auto sales have lost some momentum already this year, and the change of administration somewhat complicates the near-term picture, said IHS Markit. The policies and changes proposed by the Trump administration on trade and environmental regulations create some uncertainty, countered by a slightly improved economic picture for 2018-2021. It is hard (and unlikely) to sustain and continue to grow at the same rates the U.S. market has seen over the past eight years, and a leveling off is under way. In 2017, IHS Markit forecasts U.S. light vehicle sales of 17.4 million, down 1 percent from 2016.
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