, Columnist
Even Good News Is Bad News for Carmakers
A strong month for U.S. car sales obscures some ominous trends.
Models such as the RAV4 helped Toyota post record sales in the U.S.
Photographer: Drew Angerer/Getty Images
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Global automakers weighed down by the threat of tariffs could do with some good news, so a strong month for U.S. car sales should have come as a relief. Alas, even this silver lining has a cloud.
At face value, the market was alive and kicking in June, with most companies beating or at least meeting estimates. Even Nissan Motor Co., which has been struggling in the U.S., reported a gain instead of the large sales decline predicted by analysts.