The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has released new motor vehicle sales for the month of March, which registered a seasonally-adjusted -0.6% fall in sales over the month – the third consecutive monthly decrease – but a 4.5% increase in sales over the year:
In seasonally adjusted terms, four of the eight states and territories posted a decrease in sales.
Vivctoria managed the largest decrease, with sales falling by -3.1% over the month. Western Australia (-2.2%), South Australia (-1.7%), and the Northern Territory (-1.2%) also experienced falls, whereas Tasmania (+7.7%), the ACT (+2.8%) and Queensland (+1.9%) bucked the trend, recording rises in sales in March.
The uptrend that has been in play since mid-2011 appears to be fading, driven by weakening sales of passenger motor vehicles (PMVs):
With the fade-out most apparent in New South Wales and Victoria:
