DJ Indonesia New Vehicle Sales +45% In January Over December

DJ Indonesia New Vehicle Sales +45% In January Over December

JAKARTA: New vehicle sales in Indonesia jumped 45 percent in January compared with December to 26,142 units, Gaikindo, the car assemblers' association, said Friday.

The figures mark a recovery after vehicle sales slumped 37 percent in December over November due to lower demand for commercial vehicles.

In January, sales of commercial vehicles totaled 24,160 units, up 43 percent from December. Passenger car sales were 1,982 units in January, up 76 percent from the previous month.

Despite the jump, vehicle sales this year are expected to be largely flat due to fears among consumers of large job losses amid the poor local investment climate.

The country's biggest motor maker PT Astra International, which has a joint venture with Toyota Motor Corp. to assemble and distribute Toyota's vehicles in Indonesia, posted a 71 percent rise in vehicle sales to 11,120 units.

Astra had a 43 percent share of Indonesia's new vehicle sales last year. -- Dow Jones