Australia's new vehicle sales dip 1.5% in April

[SYDNEY] Australian new vehicle sales dipped 1.5 per cent in April to end two months of gains, though demand for sports utility vehicles stayed strong.

Monday's data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed 94,888 new vehicles were sold in April, seasonally adjusted, compared to March when sales rose an upwardly revised 0.7 per cent. Sales were 2.8 per cent higher than in April last year.

Sales of sports utilities rose 7.4 per cent in April, from the previous month, to be 20 per cent higher from a year ago.

REUTERS