New-vehicle sales rise 4.1% to 46,719 units

As a result, aggregate sales for the first seven months of 2017 have almost caught up with the corresponding 2016 period: 316,386 compared to 317,237. That's a deficit of just 0.3%.

Figures from the department of trade and industry show that car sales grew 6.2% in July from a year earlier, from 29,035 to 30,826. For the year so far, they are down 1%: from 209,673 to 207,601.

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The performance in other sectors was less impressive. Sales of light commercial vehicles rose 1.7% in July, but mediums, heavies and extra-heavies all declined.

Vehicle exports were much improved in July: 22.2% better than a year earlier, from 29,030 to 35,486. However, for the first seven months of the year, they still lag 2016 by 3.1%: 190,722 compared to 196,727.

Source: BDpro