Reuters
12/12/2018
[excerpt]
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-autos-sales/china-auto-sales-post-biggest-drop-in-7-years-as-growth-engine-stalls-idUSKCN1MM0KVBEIJING (Reuters) - China’s car sales fell the most in nearly seven years in September, stoking concerns the world’s biggest auto market could contract for the first time in decades this year amid cooling economic growth and a biting trade war.
Vehicle sales slumped by 11.6 percent to 2.39 million units last month, the third straight decline, the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) said on Friday. It cited a sluggish economy, deleveraging and a tough pollution crackdown as reasons for the steep fall.
A stalling of China’s giant auto sector will be a concern for the country’s leaders in Beijing. It is a major driver of the economy and an important barometer of Chinese consumers’ willingness to open their purse strings.