Friday, December 12, 2008

Unprecedented Contraction of the Automobile Market

The cumulative production data for April – November 2008 shows production growth of 6.56 percent over April – November 2007. However, in November 2008, overall production fell by 6.11% over the same month last year. The industry is registering negative growth in consecutive months and the extent of contraction is much greater than the rate of contractions in 2000-01 when all segments performed poorly last time.

Domestic Sales

The marginal growth in Passenger Vehicles segment during April – November 2008 was 1.10 percent over April – November 2007. Passenger Cars grew by 0.48 percent, Utility Vehicles fell by -0.21 percent and Multi Purpose Vehicles grew by 12.00 percent in this period. However, the sales in November 2008 for passenger vehicles fell by 23.71% over November 2007 - with all sub-segments registering negative growth.

Cumulative sales of Commercial Vehicles Segment registered de-growth. The segment grew at (-) 9.35 percent during April – November 2008 as compared to the same period last year. While Medium & Heavy Commercial Vehicles registered significant de-growth at (-) 16.88 percent, Light Commercial Vehicles also recorded de-growth of -0.26 percent. In November 2008 commercial vehicles sales fell by 49.51% compared to 2007. M&HCV fell by 63% and LCV fell by over 33%. Also, buses (M&HCV) fell by 32% and even the smaller buses also fell by 26%. In fact the decline in buses has been since April 2008 with an exception in June.

Three Wheelers sales registered decline with growth rate being (-) 3.37 percent in April – November 2008. While Passenger Carriers grew by 16.63 percent during April – November 2008, Goods Carriers declined at (-) 36.90 percent. In November, three wheelers fell by 23.12%.

Two Wheelers registered a growth of 3.76 percent during April-November 2008. Mopeds, Motorcycles and Scooters grew by 4.57 percent, 2.89 percent and 7.48 percent respectively. Electric two wheelers segment grew by 43.47 percent. However, two wheelers sales registered (-) 14.68% growth in November 2008 over same month last year

Exports
The period from April – November 2008 saw automobile exports registering a growth of 33.03 percent with all segments except Commercial vehicles, registering positive growth.

Passenger Vehicles and Two Wheelers segment grew by 66.39 and 30.98 percent respectively. Three Wheelers exports grew by 11.69 percent in this period. Exports of Commercial Vehicles declined at (-) 6.77 percent in this period
Soruce: www.siam.in

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