US August car sales may fall as producers ease discounts

Southfield, Michigan

CARMAKERS' decision to scale back US discounts in August is a sign they're willing to maintain some price discipline, even if it raises the odds that industrywide annual sales will fall for the first time in seven years.

August reports arriving on Thursday may show a seasonally adjusted annual sales pace of about 17.2 million cars and light trucks, according to a Bloomberg survey of analysts, down from a 17.9 million rate in July that was the highest of the year. Incentives were lower than in July, when General Motors Co (GM) offered 20 per cent cash back on several Chevrolet models, according to vehicle-shopping website TrueCar.