UPDATE: Mexico May Auto Output Falls 39% To 108,162 Units
08 Juni 2009 - 8:43PM
Dow Jones News
Mexico's auto industry continued to suffer big declines in May,
with the global crisis and weak domestic demand hurting output,
exports and new car sales.
The Mexican Auto Industry Association, or AMIA, said Monday that
auto production fell 39% from May 2008 to 108,162 units, while
exports dropped 44% to 83,910 units and domestic sales fell 38% to
53,438 units.
AMIA said the numbers were adversely affected by poor consumer
confidence in Mexico and weakness in the global auto industry.
Exports to the U.S. slipped 46% in May to 58,900 vehicles. The
U.S. auto market contracted 36% in the January to May period to
3.94 million units.
The Mexican Association of Auto Distributors said the A/H1N1
influenza outbreak that led the government to shut down
non-essential business activity for five days at the beginning of
May had a negative effect on the number of people visiting
showrooms.
In the first five months of 2009, Mexico's auto production fell
42% to 500,383 units. Exports sank 41% to 399,755, and domestic
sales slumped 31% to 300,316 vehicles.
AMIA President Eduardo Solis said that a steady improvement in
U.S. consumer confidence during recent months could contribute to a
better second half of the year. AMIA expects production to finish
2009 between 20% and 25% lower than last year.
-By Paul Kiernan, Dow Jones Newswires; (5255) 5001 5726,
paul.kiernan@dowjones.com