European car sales head for flat year despite boost in November

Bloomberg

European car sales rose 4.5% in November, the third straight monthly gain for automakers that have been battered all year by economic woes, trade wars and a broader industry slowdown.
The monthly rise wasn’t enough to turn the year around so far, with cumulative sales since January still down 0.3%, the European Automobile Manufacturers Association said. Four of the region’s five biggest markets registered a drop since the start of the year.
Like the two previous months, the November figure was helped by a low base for comparison in 2018, when sales dropped off sharply due to carmakers’ difficulties adapting to new rules on emissions.
The exception was Germany, where sales have risen 3.9% so far this year. The Stoxx Europe 600 Automobiles & Parts index of companies fell 0.4% in early trading.
In order to avoid a drop for the whole of 2019, European car sales will have to increase by roughly 4.2% in December compared with last year. They fell 0.04% for all of 2018.
The latest regional statistics indicate the year is shaping up to be lackluster.