Fragile recovery: Retail auto sales contradict robust wholesale numbers

While automakers reported record growth in October sales, retail figures saw a fall

Soon after major automakers reported high sales numbers for October, dealers have cautioned against any exuberance. With declining retail sales contradicting the robust wholesale numbers, there’s an air of suspicion around the recovery narrative in the auto space.   

    

Auto sales are a barometer of the country’s economy and record high sales reported by manufacturers had raised hopes of the festive season pushing consumer demand severely hit by the lockdown.

The Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA), the national body representing automobile dealers in India, said the total vehicle registrations in October declined 23.99 per cent to 14,13,549 units from