To Estimated risk per 03/03/2023 08:57:00
Yesterday, BEA released its estimate for car sales for February.
This graph shows heavy truck sales since 1967 using BEA data. The dotted line is the seasonally adjusted annualized sales (SAAR) level for February 2023.
Heavy truck sales really collapsed during the Great Recession, dropping to a low of 180,000 SAARs in May 2009. Heavy truck sales then rose to a new all-time high of 570,000 SAARs in April 2019.
Click on the graph to enlarge the image.
Note: “Heavy trucks are trucks over 14,000 pounds GVW.”
Heavy truck sales in February were 450,000 SAARs, up from 503,000 in January, and were virtually unchanged from 451,000 SAARs in February 2022.
Typically, sales of heavy vehicles decline sharply before a recession. Sales in February were stable.