US Auto Sales Rise

VOA Breaking News
November 1, 2011 at 12:10 pm

Two U.S. automakers reported rising sales in their home market in October.

Tuesday's report from General Motors says the company's sales were nearly two percent higher than the same month a year ago.

Smaller rival Chrysler said its sales jumped 27 percent.

Experts surveyed by news agencies predict that when all the companies report, sales will rise to a 13.2 million annual rate.

Sales of Japanese-made cars, and U.S.-built cars that use some Japanese parts, are returning to normal levels. They had been slowed by the damage from natural disasters that hampered factory production in Japan earlier this year.

Also Tuesday, Japan-based Toyota announced plans to export some vans it builds in U.S. factories to South Korea. Korea is one of 19 nations where Toyota sends its U.S.-made products.