Cautious optimism is the general mood since auto sales increased 6% in March. That may not seem like huge growth. But after a 3% decline in January and a flat result in February, any sign of momentum is a good one for the industry.
Coming after many months of strong growth, the sluggish results earlier this year raised a troubling question in many investors’ minds: Was it just the weather keeping buyers away from car dealers, or was the economic tide starting to turn for the worse?
Several automakers made a point of saying on Tuesday that the pace of sales improved significantly in late March — a sign that maybe it really was “just the weather.” It’s good to be in the fast lane when it comes to economic recovery.