New Car Sales Down in June, J. D. Power Reports

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA--June 30, 2011: The pace of new-vehicle retail sales has cooled in the third week of June, after exhibiting a stronger pace during the first two weeks of the month, according to J.D. Power and Associates, which gathers real-time transaction data from more than 8,900 retail franchisees throughout the United States.

The June retail seasonally adjusted annualized rate (SAAR) is expected to come in below 9.8 million units, but still nearly 500,000 units better than May. The total light-vehicle selling rate is expected to be below 12 million units for the second straight month.

"Sales in June typically face pressure from being between two strong selling holidays--Memorial Day and Independence Day--but incentive levels $500 below the first-quarter average and depleted vehicle inventory have added to the pressure as the month progressed," said Jeff Schuster, executive director of global forecasting at J.D. Power and Associates. "However, the fundamentals remain in place for a marked return to the recovery pace set in the first four months of the year."

About J.D. Power and Associates

Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information services company providing forecasting, performance improvement, social media and customer satisfaction insights and solutions. The company's quality and satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers annually. For more information on car reviews and ratings, car insurance, health insurance, cell phone ratings, and more, please visit JDPower.com. J.D. Power and Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies.

About The McGraw-Hill Companies

Founded in 1888, The McGraw-Hill Companies is a leading global financial information and education company that helps professionals and students succeed in the Knowledge Economy. With leading brands including Standard & Poor's, McGraw-Hill Education, Platts energy information services and J.D. Power and Associates, the Corporation has approximately 21,000 employees with more than 280 offices in 40 countries. Sales in 2010 were $6.2 billion.