Key findings: P6343.2 - Motor trade sales, January 2008

Motor trade sales for the three months ended January 2008 increased by 5,6% compared with the three months ended January 2007. This is substantially lower than the 14,1% increase reported for the three months ended January 2007 compared with the three months ended January 2006, mainly as a result of weak vehicle sales. The 5,6% increase for the three months ended January 2008 compared with the three months ended January 2007 is mainly supported by the high fuel sales (resulting from increasing fuel prices), which contributed 4,5 percentage points.

Motor trade sales for January 2008 increased by 4,6% compared with January 2007, while sales for the corresponding period of 2007 increased by 18,8%.

Seasonally adjusted motor trade sales for the three months ended January 2008 increased by 3,0% compared with the three months ended October 2007.