Automakers Overcome Storm to Post Best January Sales in a Decade
- GM, Fiat Chrysler log surprise sales gains; Ford, Toyota fall
- Shares decline, showing investors' concern that peak is near
Deep Dive Into the U.S. Auto Industry
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Automakers reported the strongest U.S. January sales in a decade, topping analysts’ estimates and showing that even thigh-deep snow couldn’t cool Americans’ demand for new trucks and sport utility vehicles.
General Motors Co., Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV and Nissan Motor Co. reported surprise sales gains instead of the predicted declines, while drops at Ford Motor Co., Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co. were narrower than projected. The industry’s annual sales rate was 17.6 million, the highest January since 2006, researcher Autodata Corp. calculated.