May Car Sales Provide Glimmer of Hope for Europe’s Auto Industry

  • France and Spain show less severe annual declines than April
  • European countries are starting to ease coronavirus lockdowns

Photographer: Adrian Dennis/AFP via Getty Images

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Europe’s car industry showed tentative signs of a recovery in May with some French and Spanish buyers braving visits to reopened showrooms.

New car registrations fell 50% in France year-on-year, CCFA, the nation’s automotive-industry group, said in a statement on Monday. The drop was an improvement over April’s 89% plunge. Spain also showed a slight comeback.