Car sales slump as vehicle prices continue to surge

Vehicle sales dropped again in June, the second month in a row of declining vehicle sales, as rising prices and shortages keep would-be buyers away.

Imported vehicle sales fell 13.1% from the previous month while domestic vehicle sales also declined, down 8.7% overall as auto sales shrank 11.2% and truck sales fell 8%. The declines dragged car sales to below their pre-pandemic level. "Vehicle sales have contracted for two consecutive months as extremely high prices, particularly for used cars, is cutting off demand," Oxford Economics' Mahir Rasheed said in a research note.