U.S. Auto Dealer Group Predicts 6% Sales Increase

Light-vehicle sales in the U.S. will reach 16.4 million units in 2014 compared with 15.6 million last year, the National Automobile Dealers Assn. forecasts.

NADA Chief Economist Steven Szakaly says rising home values, an uptick in housing construction, lower personal debt and an improving job market will help drive demand. He expects America's gross domestic product will expand about 2.8% this year.

"Consumers," Szakaly declares to the NADA annual convention in New Orleans, "will be far better off in 2014 than last year."