Malaysia car sales remain depressed

Kuala Lumpur

ROBUST GDP (gross domestic product) numbers notwithstanding, Malaysia's once vibrant automotive sector remains depressed by continued weak consumer sentiment and stricter hire-purchase guidelines, and underweight by analysts for a lack of catalysts.

Despite two strong quarters of GDP growth of 5.6 and 5.8 per cent - first half of 5.7 per cent - sales of the big-ticket item remain tepid. And with more than half the year gone, analysts see little to excite.