Global light vehicle markets
+2% in January
In October, global light vehicle sales increased 5.1% yoy to 7.62m, after 2.9% in September, resulting in a 1.5% increase to 73.26m YTD. LMC Automotive (LMCA) calculate that underlying demand continued to strengthen in October, with a SAAR (seasonally adjusted annualised rate) of 92.4m units/year, up 4.0% from 88.8m in September, resulting in a YTD SAAR of 88.2m, up less than 1% from FY14’s 87.4m. The recovery of the October SAAR to levels last seen in December (92.1m) and January (89.4m), is due to a strong recovery in China, supported by continuing strong performances in the US and Western Europe.
For FY15E, we expect a global LV market of 89.2m, implying an increase by 1.9% or 1.7m. The growth rate is thus expected to almost halve in 2015E, from 3.7% in FY14 and 4.0% in FY13.
01 14 2015 CGI – GADA – January 2015 edition
Automotive Analyst Sabine Blumel reviews global automotive demand by country.
11 24 2014 CGI – GADA – November edition
Senior Automotive Analyst Sabine Blumel analyzes Global Automotive Demand.
06 11 2014 CGI – GADA – Emerging Markets – June 2014
Auto Analyst Sabine Blumel reviews the outlook for automotive demand in the Emerging Markets.
05 30 2014 CGI – GADA – May 2014 edition
Analyst Sabine Blumel reviews Global Automotive Demand by major market globally. SAAR revised down slightly due to the worsening outlook in a number of emerging markets,the FY14E forecast is a 3.5% increase to some 87.3m; this implies a deceleration from last year’s restated +3.9% growth to 84.36m.
In March, the global light vehicle markets declined 1.5% yoy to 7.96m units, after having declined 6.2% yoy in February, resulting in a 1.6% yoy increase in YTD, according to LMC Automotive. The SAAR (seasonally adjusted annualised rate) of sales was 81.26m units/year, 2.0% higher than February’s 79.68m and 5.4% down from a record 85.91m in January. YTD, the SAAR was 82.83m, 2.3% higher than FY12’s 81.00m. In FY13E, the global LVs markets are expected to grow 2.8% to 83.2m, which implies a considerable deceleration from last year’s 5.3% and is in line with our previous forecast. (See GADA March 2013 edition of April 1st, 2013.) From 2014 onwards, the markets are expected to accelerate again and to grow by almost 7% p.a. in 2014E and 2015E.
The Euro has realized rather pronounced declines since the start of February, but recently momentum indicators have diverged from the short-term price action, indicating that selling pressures were abating. The intermediate trend is noted to have changed, but a continuation of this short-term rebound is reasonable as the currency corrects an oversold condition. A retest of the 50-day moving average around 1.32, and even up to 1.3450 is increasingly probable as the currency exits a period of seasonal weakness that concluded at the end of March.
Euro strength has generally coincided with US$ index weakness, often seen as a positive catalyst for equity and commodity prices.
The US$ index is showing signs of rolling over from its recent positive trend. The US$ index is pushing towards its 50-day average as seasonal weakness in the month of April pressures the currency lower.
In January, the global light vehicle markets grew 12.0% yoy, after having advanced 1.3% yoy in December and 5.2% to 80.89m in FY12, according to LMC Automotive. The SAAR (seasonally adjusted annualised rate) of sales hit a record level of 85.91m units/year in January, 4.4% higher than December’s 82.31m. In FY13E, the global LVs markets are expected to decelerate sharply and grow just 2.7% to 83.0m, in line with our previous forecast. (See GADA January 2013 edition of January 23rd, 2013.)
We continue to see one good investment solution to the problem of global currency wars: Investors should continue to buy Gold.
We have been recommending for 3 years to “sell/short” the French OEM’s and also Fiat, in Italy, which in retrospect clearly was an alpha generating call for investors over the entire time period.
Given recent macro-dynamic changes, in monetary policies, impacting currency markets around the world, namely the Yen weakening substantially versus most currencies, particularly the US$, the EURO, but also mostly against the Korean Won, we have become bullish in September 2012 on Japanese stocks, calling for a major rise in the Nikkei, and implicitly seeing a bullish case in favor of Japanese car companies.
In December, the global light vehicle markets grew 1.3% yoy, after having advanced 4.3% in November, resulting in a 5.2% increase to 80.89m in FY12, according to LMC Automotive. The SAAR (seasonally adjusted annualised rate) of sales declined somewhat to 82.31m units/year in December, from 83.03m units/year in November, though was better than in October and September. In 2013E, the global LVs markets are expected to decelerate sharply and grow just 2.3% to 82.73m, in line with our previous forecast. (See GADA December 2012 edition of December 19th, 2012.) Continue reading
– Europe, US, Japan, Korea & India OEMs Valuations
– Global Truck Manufactures Valuations
We do believe that the problems for Toyota will continue to get worse, and in fact are deeper than what has surfaced to date. We are reiterating our Sell Recommendation on Toyota Motors Corp.