Insights

Key Highlights: Retail Sales Retail sales in May declined more than expected, driven mainly by declining vehicle sales. Adjusting for inflation, retail sales were still higher year over year. New Construction Residential construction declined in May as permits and starts both fell. Multi-family shows more promise for near-term growth. The Fed The Fed remains on …

Welcome to the monthly Manheim Market Insights update. Jeremy Robb, senior director of Economic and Industry Insights at Cox Automotive, offers a monthly check-in on what we are seeing in the used wholesale and retail markets, all through the wide lens of the data available from Cox Automotive. This month’s video highlights the mid-month Manheim Used Vehicle …

In May 2025, the electric vehicle (EV) market displayed a complex mix of growth and challenges. While new EV sales experienced modest monthly gains, year-over-year declines indicated broader industry pressures. Meanwhile, the used EV market continued its upward trajectory, driven by affordability and consumer confidence. Inventory levels, pricing trends and incentive strategies all reflected a …

The Fed left monetary policy unchanged today at the conclusion of its fourth scheduled Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting of 2025. This was the fourth consecutive no-change decision this year, but this meeting featured souring forecasts with lower economic growth, higher inflation, and higher unemployment. Their median expectation remains for two rate cuts in …

Wholesale used-vehicle prices (on a mix-, mileage-, and seasonally adjusted basis) increased from May in the first 15 days of June. The mid-month Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index rose 1.7% to 208.7, showing a rise of 6.5% from the full month of June 2024. The weaker seasonal adjustment drove the higher result for the index, …

New-vehicle affordability remained steady in May at the worst level this year, according to the Cox Automotive/Moody’s Analytics Vehicle Affordability Index. “The U.S. economy remains fundamentally strong, but the recent tariffs have had a swift and measurable impact on vehicle affordability,” said Cox Automotive Chief Economist Jonathan Smoke. “After reaching the lowest affordability point of the year …

Key Highlights: Inflation Inflation data has yet to show much of an impact from tariffs, as the consumer price index (CPI) was softer than expected again in May. On a year-over-year basis, core CPI was steady at 2.8% while the overall CPI increased to 2.4% from 2.3% in April, which had been the lowest year-over-year …

According to the Cox Automotive analysis of vAuto Live Market View data, used-vehicle inventory levels at the start of June dropped slightly month over month. Still, inventory was relatively flat compared to early June 2024. 2.21M Total UnsoldUsed Vehiclesas of June 2, 2025 43 Days’ Supply $25,470 Average Listing Price 72,879 Average Mileage As June opened, the …

According to an analysis of Cox Automotive’s vAuto Live Market View data estimates, retail used-vehicle sales in May remained steady month over month compared to April.  A total of 1.53 million used vehicles were sold at retail – from both franchised and independent dealers – during May, flat month over month and 4% higher compared to the …

Despite news headlines suggesting the auto market would see more tariff-price increases by now, the new-vehicle market has largely remained stable. After hitting a peak in sales pace in April, the new-vehicle market has continued to slow from there. The market has returned to seasonal norms, including a typical bump in sales over the Memorial Day …