The blog is changing its US auto sales chart, now that a year has passed since volumes collapsed last October. Year-on-year % changes become meaningless as a result. Instead, it will now show monthly volumes, on a total US basis...
Back in May, the blog suggested that "Chrysler's bankruptcy marks a 'tipping point', when the first major company is finally forced to adjust to a permanently lower level of demand." Now comes news that Toyota is to follow Chrysler's lead,...
Cerberus' timing was clearly not very good with its Chrysler acquisition in Q3 2007. And Steve Feinberg, Cerberus co-founder, admitted this when he told the New York Times "we were too optimistic on timing. Maybe what we should have done...
US auto sales have not yet followed the European lead, and shown an increase versus 2008 levels. And they certainly don't match China's 17% sales increase in H1. But they were down just 11% in July. And Ford did post...
The good news from the latest reports on US house prices and auto sales was simple - things have stopped getting worse. US house prices saw "some stabilisation in some regions" according to the S&P/Case Shiller Index for April. Whilst...
More details are now emerging of the US government's plans for Chrysler. Initially President Obama said he hoped the bankruptcy process would only last 60 days. But according to Bloomberg, the administration now accepts that this period will just cover...
The International eChem team are very experienced in turnarounds and restructurings. We have undertaken these both as employees within our former companies, and then as advisers. This has taught us to be alert for the 'tipping point', when a situation...
Chrysler. Yesterday, Chrysler entered bankruptcy. It will idle most of its US plants during the court proceedings. The government hopes the bankruptcy can be finalised in a "quick visit" of just 30-60 days. But even if this can be achieved,...
It seems highly likely that GM, the largest US car manufacturer, will enter Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings in the next few weeks. Chrysler, the 4th largest US company, may well follow them. Even if it avoids bankruptcy, GM's own restructuring...
The blog may be over-optimistic, but as with US house markets, it is hopeful that US auto market may have hit at least a temporary bottom. Spring should be a good period for sales, and March saw auto volumes down...
There had been speculation that President Obama's mid-West background might tempt him to take a soft line on the troubled automotive industry. But his comments on Thursday that there has been "a lot of mismanagement of the auto industry over...
February brought no relief for the troubled US auto industry, so critical to chemical sales. Sales were down 41% versus 2008. Even more worryingly, sales over the past quarter, and last 6 months, averaged under 10 million/year. Chrysler's results also...
January's US auto sales figures gave no hope that demand is yet bottoming out. Volumes were down 41% versus 2008. As the chart shows, the main pain was felt by GM and Chrysler, who saw sales down 49% and 55%...
December was another bad month for US auto sales, with volumes down 36% versus 2007. Total 2008 sales of 13.2 million were the lowest since 1992, when the economy bottomed in the 1990-4 recession. As the chart shows, sales volumes...
US auto makers today told Congress their "rescue plan" now needs $34bn in support, whilst GM and Chrysler said they need an $11bn loan "just to survive the year". US sales were down 37% in November, and are at their...
October's US auto sales were as bad as expected. But even so, GM still managed a surprise. Once the undisputed market leader, its sales were truly awful, falling 45% versus October last year, as shown in the chart above....
Ratings agency S&P warn today that a major recession might force the 3 top US carmakers to file for bankruptcy. Clearly they share JD Power's fears, noted yesterday, about the potential for an 'outright collapse' in global auto markets. S&P...
September was another difficult month for the cornerstones of US chemical demand, autos and housing: • GM cut prices dramatically via its 'Employee discount for everyone' programme. But even so, sales fell 16% versus last year (blue column) • Toyota...
August was a bad month for US auto sales. GM sales were down 20% versus 2007, Toyota down 9%, Ford down 26% and Chrysler fell 35%. This set the blog wondering about relative performance , and the chart shows...
US and European auto sales fell again last month. GM reported total US sales down 27% versus 2007, due to a 'challenging US economic environment' Toyota were down 19%, with Lexus sales badly hit, down 25% Ford were down 13%,...
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