September Car Sales Fell 5% in China

Passenger car wholesales in China slid 5% to 2.27 million units last month, according to the China Assn. of Automobile Manufacturers.

Sales through the first nine months of 2019 totaled 15.48 million vehicles, down 13% from the same period last year, as China’s slowing economic growth and trade war with the U.S. dampens consumer confidence.

Carmakers had hoped for an upswing last month, normally the strongest selling period of the year. CAAM previously predicted full-year overall vehicle sales would drop 5% to 26.68 million vehicles.

But sales have been hit in China’s largest population areas, where officials began imposing tougher vehicle emission limits ahead of the central government’s 2020 deadline.