Market Insights and Outlook - Cox Automotive Inc.

Smoke on Cars Chief Economist Jonathan Smoke shares his insights on macroeconomic trends, business cycles, demand and the economic factors influencing the automotive industry today.

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Fed Affirms Continued Low Rates, but in the Near Term Consumers Aren’t Seeing Lower Rates 09/16/2020 Today’s Fed announcement was not about current rate levels, which remain near zero, but about expectations for the economy, guidance on rates long term, and elaboration on what it will take to shift away from low rates when the time comes. A key phrase in their announcement was “…the Committee will aim to achieve inflation moderately above 2 percent for some time so that inflation averages… Read Article

Market Insights Smoke on Cars Economy & Trends

Week #26 Special Edition: Economic Impact on Auto Sales with Jonathan Smoke 09/15/2020 Our Chief Economist Jonathan Smoke joins us once again from his home studio in Atlanta, GA, with the latest on the impacts of COVID-19 on the automotive industry. The latest on COVID-19’s nationwide impactContinuing jobless claims and impacts by stateConsumer sentiment in the U.S. and in the largest DMAsCox Automotive consumer survey results on shopping and service0% APR offersNew- and used-vehicle inventoryWholesale and retail prices and… Read Article

Market Insights Smoke on Cars

Auto Market Weekly Summary 09/14/2020 The trends for COVID-19 and consumer sentiment are encouraging, but the economy and the jobs recovery seem to have lost momentum from a stronger bounce back this spring and summer. The peak demand phase in the used car market seems to be behind us as August sales softened and prices are starting to come down. High unemployment and the lack of more stimulus will likely lead… Read Article

Market Insights Smoke on Cars Economy & Trends

Week #25 Special Edition: Economic Impact on Auto Sales with Jonathan Smoke 09/09/2020 Our Chief Economist Jonathan Smoke joins us once again from his home studio in Atlanta, GA, with the latest on the impacts of COVID-19 on the automotive industry. The latest on COVID-19’s nationwide impactContinuing jobless claims and impacts by stateConsumer sentiment in the U.S. and in the largest DMAsCox Automotive consumer survey results on shopping and service0% APR offersNew- and used-vehicle inventoryWholesale and retail prices and… Read Article

Market Insights Smoke on Cars

Auto Market Weekly Summary 09/08/2020 The peak in daily new COVID-19 cases was seven weeks ago. Hospitalizations and deaths have been declining as well. However, outbreaks on college campuses caused daily cases to stop declining last week. The jobs recovery continues, but the pace of recovery is slowing as each week we lose jobs as well as see recovered jobs. The headline unemployment rate fell to under 10%, but the share… Read Article

Market Insights Smoke on Cars Economy & Trends

Week #24 Special Edition: Economic Impact on Auto Sales with Jonathan Smoke 09/01/2020 Our Chief Economist Jonathan Smoke joins us once again from his home studio in Atlanta, GA, with the latest on the impacts of COVID-19 on the automotive industry. The latest on COVID-19’s nationwide impactContinuing jobless claims and impacts by stateConsumer sentiment in the U.S. and in the largest DMAsCox Automotive consumer survey results on shopping and service0% APR offersNew- and used-vehicle inventoryWholesale and retail prices and… Read Article

Market Insights Smoke on Cars

Auto Market Weekly Summary 08/31/2020 The peak in daily new COVID-19 cases was six weeks ago, and now hospitalizations and deaths are in decline as well. The decline has helped consumer sentiment improve modestly. Home sales are strong with low mortgage rates and favorable demographics. The jobs recovery continues, but the pace of recovery is slow and slowing as each week we lose jobs as well as see recovered jobs. The… Read Article

Market Insights Smoke on Cars Economy & Trends

Week #23 Special Edition: Economic Impact on Auto Sales with Jonathan Smoke 08/25/2020 Our Chief Economist Jonathan Smoke joins us once again from his home studio in Atlanta, GA, with the latest on the impacts of COVID-19 on the automotive industry. The latest on COVID-19’s nationwide impactContinuing jobless claims and impacts by stateConsumer sentiment in the U.S. and in the largest DMAsCox Automotive consumer survey results on shopping and service0% APR offersNew- and used-vehicle inventoryWholesale and retail prices and… Read Article

Market Insights Smoke on Cars

Auto Market Weekly Summary 08/24/2020 The peak in daily new COVID-19 cases was five weeks ago, and now hospitalizations and deaths are declining as well. The jobs recovery continues, but the country still has 14.8 million on unemployment benefits. Consumer sentiment has also been slowly improving for the last three weeks. New construction and existing home sales are now up year over year as low mortgage rates and increasing demand for… Read Article

Market Insights Smoke on Cars Economy & Trends

Week #22 Special Edition: Economic Impact on Auto Sales with Jonathan Smoke 08/18/2020 Our Chief Economist Jonathan Smoke joins us once again from his home studio in Atlanta, GA, with the latest on the impacts of COVID-19 on the automotive industry. The latest on COVID-19’s nationwide impactContinuing jobless claims and impacts by stateConsumer sentiment in the U.S. and in the largest DMAsCox Automotive consumer survey results on shopping and service0% APR offersNew- and used-vehicle inventoryWholesale and retail prices and… Read Article

Market Insights Smoke on Cars

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