Highlights
Vehicle sales show little month-to-month change in April, at a 6.9 million unit adjusted annual sales rate vs. the same rate in March. Sales at now bankrupt Chrysler show severe month-to-month contraction. These numbers are for North American-made vehicles which make up the bulk of total U.S. sales. Imports sold at a 2.5 million pace, sizably down from 2.9 million in March. These numbers won't raise expectations for a rebound in April retail sales. Chain stores will begin posting their individual results for April through next week with the bulk of reports out on Thursday. Optimism on the economic outlook will not improve if the retail sales report, to be posted at mid month, proves as big of a disappointment in April as it did in March.

Market Consensus Before Announcement
Sales of domestic motor vehicles made a moderate comeback in March, rising to an annualized 6.9 million units from 6.3 million the month before. . But year-on-year, sales are still depressed. GM showed a 44.7 percent year-on-year drop while Ford and Chrysler were down 40.8 percent and 39.3 percent, respectively. Combined domestics and imports rose to a 9.9 million unit pace in March from 9.1 million the month before.

2009 Release Schedule

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