The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has just released new motor vehicle sales for the month of January, which registered a 3.5% seasonally adjusted fall over the month and a 3.0% decrease over the year (see next table).
As shown above, sales fell in every state and territory, with Western Australia also recording its 13th consecutive monthly fall in trend terms.
As shown in the next chart, overall new car sales peaked in the first quarter of 2013 and have since tracked sideways at a slightly lower level. Sales of sports Utility Vehicles (4WDs) remain strong, however:
The next chart, which tracks sales on a rolling annual basis, shows these trends more clearly:
The trend is particularly weak in Western Australia, whereas sales growth in New South Wales remains solid:
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