CYPRUS: Saloon car sales rise 4.5% in September amid gloomy outlook

Cyprus sales of saloon cars in September increased 4.5% from the year before but for the first nine months of 2019 registration are down 8.1%.

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September is only the third time this year that sales have been positive reaching 3,311 from 3,169 in the same month last year. Sales in August slumped 11.2%.

Registration of new cars in September increased 13.9% to 1,052 from 924 in 2018 while used cars marginally increased 0.6% to 2,259 from 2,245.

For the first nine months to September total passenger saloon car sales decreased 8.1% to 28,761 from 31,292 in January-September 2018.

During this period the sale of new cars was down 7.3% while used car registrations dipped 8.5%.

Of the total passenger saloon cars sold 34% (9,783) were new and 66% (18,978) were used cars.

Total registrations of motor vehicles decreased by 6.1% to 35,499 in January-September from 37,817 vehicles in the same period of 2018.

Mopeds over 50cc increased 7.9% to 232 while bikes over 50cc decreased 5% to 1,900 in the first nine months.

Fragile consumer confidence, political uncertainty and worries about the economy are affecting the psychology of buyers.