Auto Demand

China's domestic passenger car sales fell 34.2% in February from a year earlier, an industry association said Wednesday, reflecting weakening demand as some trade-in subsidies are phased out. Only 950,000 units of passenger cars were sold in China last month, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, down from nearly 1.4 million vehicles sold in January. Overall passenger car sales including exports dropped 15.4% year-on-year, even as shipments overseas jumped 58% to 586,000, highlighting the challenges for Chinese carmakers trying to offset sluggish domestic sales by expanding into foreign markets. Automakers have been struggling with weak demand as the government has been phasing out trade-in subsidies to encourage purchases of electric vehicles. Chinese consumers have also been steering clear of big purchases, feeling a pinch from a slowing economy and protracted property slump. The Lunar New Year festival, China's biggest holiday, took place in February, .

Among OEMs under coverage, it has identified Eicher Motors, and Bajaj Auto as its top conviction ideas in 2Ws, and Ashok Leyland in the CV segment

To cater the increasing demand, the Eicher's board has approved a proposal for capacity expansion at Royal Enfield, taking annual production capacity upto 2 mn units from the existing 1.46 mn units.

Policy continuity, infrastructure growth and a stronger electric vehicle ecosystem in the upcoming Union Budget will be critical for sustaining momentum in the automotive sector, according to Skoda Auto Volkswagen India MD and CEO Piyush Arora. The Pune-based brand, which manages the Indian operations of six brands, Skoda, Volkswagen, Audi, Bentley, Lamborghini and Porsche, also emphasised the importance of customs reforms and bilateral trade agreements to support global integration. In an interaction with PTI, Arora said the GST reforms introduced last year led to the revival of the domestic passenger vehicle industry. "And from that point of view, if there are some important duties in the electric (vehicle) space that can be addressed (in the Budget) going forward, it would help... Continuity is extremely important for our sector, along with further focus on infrastructure growth and building up the EV ecosystem," he said. Besides, customs tax reforms would help multinational ...

The momentum was not limited to retail-focused segments, the brokerage noted. The medium and heavy commercial vehicle (MHCV) industry showed clear signs of revival after a prolonged 15-month downturn.

Nomura, in a note, said the acquisition marks SAMIL's formal entry into the global PV wiring harness segment outside India, an area where the group previously had limited exposure.

Entry-level vehicles across 2Ws and PVs are seeing a notable pickup in demand, while discounts are expected to gradually reduce, reflecting normalisation in market dynamics.

Last week, Mexico approved a bill to raise tariffs on more than 1,400 imported goods from Asian countries, effective 1 January 2026

Shares of Tenneco Clean Air India on Wednesday ended with a premium of nearly 24 per cent against the issue price of Rs 397. The stock started trading at Rs 498, registering a jump of 25.44 per cent from the issue price on the BSE. During the day, it surged 30.22 per cent to Rs 517. Shares of the firm finally ended at Rs 491.20, up 23.72 per cent. At the NSE, the stock listed at Rs 505, a premium of 27.20 per cent. It ended at Rs 490.80, a jump of 23.62 per cent. The company's market valuation stood at Rs 19,825.04 crore. The initial public offer of Tenneco Clean Air India Ltd, part of the US-based Tenneco Group, was subscribed nearly 59 times on the final day of share sale on Friday last week, led by heavy demand from institutional buyers. The company's Rs 3,600-crore IPO was entirely an offer-for-sale by promoter Tenneco Mauritius Holdings Ltd, with no fresh equity issuance. The company had fixed a price band of Rs 378-397 per share for the IPO. Tenneco Mauritius Holdings Ltd,

A festive-season boost and a reasonably strong April-September performance have put India's three-wheeler market on stable footing for H2 FY26

On the bourses, Tata Motors PV shares bled, with the stock dropping up to 7.26 per cent to hit an intraday low of ₹363.15 per share.

Brokerages expect Bajaj Auto to post healthy Y-o-Y growth in Q2, driven by higher volumes, improved product mix with a greater share of premium bikes & 3-wheelers, & favourable currency movement.

Once marked by the simple lighting of diyas and modest home decorations, Diwali today is synonymous with affluence and high consumer demand

Fada said vehicle sales surged after September 22 as GST 2.0 reforms took effect, with Navratri 2025 delivering record-high footfalls and festive purchases across all categories

Tata highlighted that CVs are cyclical, linked to infrastructure, freight, mining, and construction, while PVs are growth-oriented, technology-heavy, and consumer-facing

September auto sales expectations: Analysts cite the start of festive sales from September 22, improved finance availability, dealer inventory build-up, and positive rural sentiment as key drivers.

PM also noted that there are multiple investment and collaboration opportunities as the nation is progressing towards smart and green mobility

Among companies, Maruti Suzuki is expected to gain market share with new SUV launches and a revival in first-time buyers, prompting the brokerage to raise its target from ₹14,262 to ₹18,360.

The two-wheeler segment registered a 1.34 per cent month-on-month growth, rising 2.18 per cent Y-o-Y, aided by festive enquiries around Onam and Ganesh Chaturthi

GST Council's two-rate tax structure to cut vehicle prices by up to 10%, supporting festive auto sales for two-wheelers, small cars, and compact SUVs