Nissan Feb China auto sales down on weak economy, holiday

[BEIJING] Nissan Motor Co Ltd said on Tuesday its China sales declined 2.4 per cent in February, as economic slowdown and the Chinese New Year holiday dragged on commercial vehicle sales in the mainland.

The Japanese automaker sold about 70,200 automobiles in China in February. Nissan's mainland joint venture for passenger cars with Dongfeng Motor Group Co Ltd sold 63,100 cars, a 16 per cent increase from February last year.

Seasonal distortions also accounted for the decline in sales as February had fewer working days this year because of Chinese New Year, which fell a month earlier in 2014.

February's decline follows a 22.2 per cent year-on-year increase in January and a 9.1 per cent drop in December.

The company's China sales in the first two months of the year was about 186,600 vehicles, up 11.7 per cent from the same period a year earlier.

The automaker is targeting at least 1.3 million car sales this year.

REUTERS