Car sales in the United Kingdom saw an annual decline of 40% for March, according to preliminary data released on Monday from the Society for Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). The drop in sales comes as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to disrupt the economy and force potential buyers to remain indoors.
Sales added to only 250,000 units, marking it as the weakest for the month. March is otherwise seen as a typically high-selling month of the year since the introduction of bi-annual plate changes in 1999. Last year, March had accounted for almost 20% of total new registrations.
Car sales have been in steady decline since its a record high in 2016.
The SMMT predicted a 2.5% drop in demand to 2.25 million cars, according to data released in January. Its full data for March is expected to be published at 0800 GMT.
Oil traded higher on Friday, further reclaiming lost ground from three-week lows in the previous session as the COVID-19 situation continued to dent the global economy as well as oil consumption. Brent crude gained 0.3%, trading at $43.08 ...
On Thursday, the United States’ Gross Domestic Product (GDP) suffered the biggest economic decline in the second quarter as the surge of coronavirus cases affected the whole country. The U.S. government decided to shut down restaurants, ...
The dollar was briefly lifted on Thursday after the U.S. Federal Reserve offered no concrete clues about its next course of action, while investors hoped for an easy policy as the coronavirus resurgence stalled economic recovery. The dollar ...
On Tuesday, Tesla Inc.’s (TSLA.O) Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk announced that the automotive company would start to open its licensing software to supply powertrains and batteries for other car manufacturers. “Tesla is open ...
Oil prices gained for the third day on Tuesday, supported by a bounce in demand from efforts to lift the U.S. economy as it struggles to recover from the coronavirus pandemic. Prices were also buoyed by a weakening dollar, making it ...