auto sales

It looks like Chrysler's U.S. auto sales began the year the way they ended 2011: on a strong note. For Ford and GM, not so much.

The Detroit carmakers posted double-digit increases in sales for the year as December finished with a flourish.

Chinese auto and battery maker BYD Co. warned that first-half profit will plunge as much as 95 percent because of a drop in auto sales after some tax incentives for small cars ended.

After scaling back auto lending in the financial crisis, banks and automakers’ lending arms have started to issue loans more aggressively.

DETROIT — U.S. auto sales sputtered back to life in 2010 and car companies expect them to keep climbing this year as the economy recovers and buyers grow more confident.

Auto sales rose in the United States last year for the first time since the recession. They're still far from what they were just a few years ago — but that's just fine with the downsized auto industry, which can post profits even if they sell millions fewer cars and trucks.

China's auto sales powered ahead in November, jumping 27 percent to 1.7 million vehicles as car buyers rushed to beat expected increases in license plate fees in some cities.

The month of October is just about a wrap, and it’s shaping up to be a good one for the auto industry.

Amid the economic recession, Cash for Clunkers was intended to lend a helping hand to the automotive industry and to the economy. As auto sales tumbled, the

Aug. 3 -- George Magliano, director of North American research for IHS Automotive, talks about the outlook for U.S. auto sales.