January car sales drop

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's domestic car sales dropped to 11,036 in January, compared to 15,348 a month earlier, according to data from the Association of Indonesian Automotive Industries.

Exports of vehicles also dropped to 2,204 in January from 3,527 in December.

Indonesia's largest automaker, PT Astra International, still dominates domestic and export car markets by 48 percent and 99 percent respectively.

Overall sales -- both national and export -- fell to 13,240 from 18,875, raising fears about whether a hoped-for pickup in sales this year would take place. However, the January slump may only be seasonal.

In the motorcycle market, total domestic sales also dropped to 40,498 in January from the 51,279 sold a month earlier. Of the total, Astra motorcycle sales reached 21,555 compared to 28,032, which were sold in December.