Car Sales Fall 12% in U.K.

New-car registrations in the U.K. slumped to 158,200 units in October compared with 180,200 in the same month last year, says the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders Ltd.

SMMT says demand for diesels last month plunged 30% to 62,300 vehicles. Sales of gasoline and alternate-fuel vehicles rose 3% to 87,600 units and 5% to 6,000 units, respectively.

October’s decline was the seventh consecutive month of year-on-year shrinkage. Sales in the U.K. through the first 10 months of 2017 declined 5% to 2.22 million units.

SMMT says demand for new cars has been impacted by confusion over the government’s policy on diesels and uncertainty about the impact of Brexit on the British economy.