Puerto Rico new auto sales held on to positive results for the second consecutive month in May, when some 6,828 units were sold, representing a 4.3 percent growth, the United Automobile Importers Group (known as GUIA by its Spanish acronym) informed Tuesday.
Retail sales reported by Puerto Rico’s commercial establishments during the January to December 2015 period reflected a 1.42 percent year-over-year drop, with sales down by $544.7 million to $37.8 billion, Puerto Rico Trade and Export revealed Thursday.
Puerto Rico retail sales for the month of October 2015 — the most recent available from the government — showed a 3 percent drop in comparison to the same month in 2014, to $3.1 billion.
The United Group of Automobile Importers, an organization that represents the Puerto Rico automobile industry, predicted Tuesday that this some 77,000 new cars will be sold this year on the island, marking the third consecutive year of decreased activity.
A survey of members of the United Retailers Association revealed that 50 percent think their sales will be better or the same as last year.
The Puerto Rico Sales and Marketing Executives Association will hold its annual conference on May 7-8, from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., at the Sheraton Puerto Rico Hotel & Casino titled, focusing on “What’s next?” for the industry.
Puerto Rico’s retail sale saw a $20.1 million increase in October, when activity exceeded $3.22 billion, Puerto Rico Trade and Export, the government agency that tracks this economic sector, said Wednesday.
Puerto Rico new car sales totaled 88,175 units in 2014, down 12.3 percent versus 2013, and representing the lowest level of sales since 2009, members of the United Automobile Importers Group said Wednesday.
Despite a seemingly unstoppable downward spiral of auto sales in Puerto Rico, which dropped by 17.2 percent last month when compared to November 2013, the United Automobile Importers Group remains optimistic that there will be an improvement when the year wraps up in about two weeks.
Motor vehicle sales in Puerto Rico skidded into their ninth month of steady decline in October, when activity declined by 19.7 percent year-over-year, the United Automobile Importers Group revealed Monday.
Auto sales in Puerto Rico continued their downward trend in Spetember, when 8.1 percent fewer vehicles went to new owners, marking the eighth consecutive month of this year showing negative results, according to numbers released Thursday by the United Automobile Importers Group.
Puerto Rico’s retail activity saw a slight dip in July, when activity was down 1.12 percent to $3.10 billion, from the $3.14 billion reported for the same month in 2013, figures released by Puerto Rico Trade and Commerce showed Thursday.
Puerto Rico’s auto industry skid into its seventh month of sales losses in August, when activity was down 20.1 percent in comparison to the same month last year.
The accelerated rate at which Puerto Rico is losing population — particularly the younger, productive segment — is placing significant pressure on the island’s housing market, which continues to experience ongoing decreases in sales and rental activity.
Puerto Rico’s retail sales reflected a slight 1.7 percent jump year-over-year in June, when economic activity exceeded $3.1 billion, according to data released by Puerto Rico Trade and Export Wednesday.
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