GLOBAL ECONOMICS GLOBAL AUTO REPORT

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1 Global Auto Sales Accelerate to Set Eighth Consecutive Annual Record in 17 Sales gains pick up in July, as the outlook for China is upgraded. CONTACTS Carlos Gomes Scotiabank Economics South America rebounds from a three-year slump. Ongoing gains in mature markets, but US volumes edge lower temporarily. Global car sales are on target to set an eighth consecutive annual record. This represents the longest auto industry up-cycle of recent decades and reflects a broadbased strengthening in economic activity across all regions over the past year. In fact, the global economy is currently expanding at the fastest pace in more than two years, and this is leading to a re-acceleration in global sales from the moderating trend that had been in place since the partial phase-out of a sales tax incentive in China late last year. During July, global volumes advanced 3% y/y, up from a flat performance in the second quarter (chart 1). Record global sales stand in sharp contrast to peak auto fears that have become popular with pessimists and appear regularly in media headlines. While the auto industry is cyclical, declines in global car sales have historically only occurred during economic downturns, such as in 1, and /9. Outside of those years, global auto sales have consistently moved higher. Chart 1 Global Auto Sales Accelerate y/y % change, 3MMA Global sales, LHS y/y % change, 3MMA 3 DEVELOPING MARKETS DRIVE SALES ACCELERATION Developing markets are leading the sales gains, with volumes (ex. China) jumping 1% y/y in July, the best performance in nearly five years. This represents a significant broadening out of the advance in global sales, as these markets had previously declined for three consecutive years (chart ). Stronger-than-expected economic growth in China is also a key contributor to the recent global sales acceleration, especially since it is being accompanied by firmer car prices and inventory normalization. These developments have prompted an upgrade of our 17 sales forecast for China to a 3% annual gain, up from the small decline that we originally envisioned. New car sales in China are now projected to exceed mn units and account for 3% of global volumes, up from % only three years ago (table on page ). LOWER RENTAL VOLUMES DAMPEN US SALES, BUT OTHER DEVELOPED MARKETS POWER AHEAD Despite record global purchases, a temporary de-fleeting in the US rental car industry has led to an % drop in fleet volumes in the United States this year, and will reduce overall US purchases for the first time since 9. However, strengthening consumer balance sheets and an aging vehicle fleet have enabled household volumes to remain resilient, keeping overall US sales above 17 mn units for the second consecutive year, and are expected to support higher sales in 1. As we have pointed out in previous reports, the popularly perceived problem of rising subprime delinquencies is not having a material impact on US new vehicle demand. In fact, overall US household delinquency rates recently Sources:Scotiabank Economics, Bloomberg. Chart China, RHS Strengthening GDP Drives Sales Acceleration in Emerging Markets. y/y % change y/y % change, 3MMA.... Auto sales developing markets (ex-china), RHS. GDP growth. emerging markets LHS Sources:Scotiabank Economics, OECD, Bloomberg

2 declined to a decade low. Meanwhile, new vehicle pricing is at record highs, and automotive credit quality has improved alongside fewer subprime auto loans. Stronger-than-expected economic growth and healthy labour markets are lifting purchases in Canada and Mexico to record highs. Employment growth has more than doubled in Canada over the past year to nearly % y/y, the best performance in years, and is buoying household incomes and purchasing power. Meanwhile, the labour market is even stronger in Mexico, advancing by more than % y/y, which is helping to boost sales to a fourth consecutive annual record (table below). Car sales also remain in expansionary mode throughout continental Europe, supported by the acceleration in economic growth to a decade-high. The sales improvement is broadly-based, with volumes on target to climb to new highs in several EU nations this year, especially members in Central and Eastern Europe. The UK is the exception, with household car purchases declining % y/y through July, undercut by slowing economic growth, deteriorating income trends, and slumping consumer confidence. The UK economy initially withstood the impact of the decision to leave the EU, but spending power is now being pressured by a weakening currency and sluggish wage growth. SOUTH AMERICA LEADS THE WAY Car sales in South America have jumped 1% this year, the strongest gain since the global economic recovery was in its infancy. The improvement reflects the end of the economic downturn in Brazil, a market which normally accounts for nearly % of overall volumes in South America. However, sales are also reviving in most other countries, buoyed higher commodity prices and stronger economic activity. South America is the continent most affected by commodity cycles: commodities and resource-based manufacturing account for nearly 7% of its exports, double the global average. Outside of Brazil, sales gains are strongest in Argentina and Chile. However, purchases are being held back in Colombia by a recent increase in the new vehicle sales tax and volatile global oil prices. SALES GAINS BROADEN ACROSS ASIA While China has been the key driver of Asian volumes in recent years, purchases have also accelerated in most other countries during 17 alongside strengthening economic activity, and will climb above 13 mn units this year (table below). In particular, export growth in Asia (ex. China) is now advancing at a double-digit pace year-over-year, reversing two consecutive years of decline. Employment growth has also picked up across the region, as economic activity across Asia is now advancing in excess of.% y/y, two percentage points faster than the global average. INTERNATIONAL CAR SALES OUTLOOK (millions of units) f TOTAL SALES North America* Canada United States Mexico Western Europe Germany Eastern Europe Russia Asia China** India South America Brazil *Includes light trucks. **Includes crossover utility vehicles from. Sources: Scotiabank Economics, Ward's Automotive Reports, Bloomberg.

3 CANADA/US MOTOR VEHICLE SALES OUTLOOK Average Jan-June ** Annual f (thousands of units, annualized) CANADA 1,39 1,3 1,9 1,99,, Cars Domestic Imports Light Trucks 1 1,1 1,7 1,37 1,3 (millions of units, annualized) UNITED STATES Cars Light Trucks NORTH AMERICAN (millions of units, annualized) PRODUCTION* CANADA UNITED STATES MEXICO *Includes light, medium and heavy trucks. **Canadian sales are Scotiabank estimates. Sources:Ward's Automotive Reports, Statistics Canada. VEHICLE SALES OUTLOOK BY PROVINCE* (thousands of units, annual rates) Average Jan-June** Annual f CANADA 1, 1,3 1,9 1,99,, ATLANTIC CENTRAL 93 1,17 1, 1, 1,37 1,7 Quebec Ontario WEST Manitoba 9 9 Saskatchewan Alberta British Columbia *Includes cars and light trucks. **Scotiabank estimates. Sources: Statistics Canada, Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers' Association thousands of units Ontario Quebec Includes cars and trucks (light, medium and heavy). Shaded bars indicate U.S. recession periods. Source: Statistics Canada VEHICLE SALES BY PROVINCE thousands of units Atlantic Alberta British Columbia 7 thousands of units Manitoba 3 Saskatchewan

4 AUTO MARKET SHARE BY MANUFACTURER CANADA* Jan to July Jan to July July July Units % of Total Units % of Total Units % of Total Units % of Total TOTAL Big Three General Motors Ford Chrysler Japanese Honda Toyota Nissan Mazda Mitsubishi Subaru Hyundai Volkswagen Kia BMW Mercedes-Benz Other *Source: Dealer sales from the Global Automakers of Canada. TRUCK MARKET SHARE BY MANUFACTURER CANADA* Jan to July Jan to July July July Units % of Total Units % of Total Units % ot Total Units % of Total TOTAL Big Three General Motors Ford Chrysler Other Domestic Japanese Honda Toyota Nissan Mazda Mitsubishi Subaru Hyundai Kia Other Imports LIGHT TRUCKS *Source: Dealer sales from the Global Automakers of Canada.

5 AUTO SALES BY PROVINCE Jan to June Jan to June June June CANADA ATLANTIC Newfoundland Nova Scotia New Brunswick Prince Edward Island CENTRAL Quebec Ontario WEST Manitoba Saskatchewan Alberta.... British Columbia Source: Statistics Canada. TRUCK SALES BY PROVINCE* Jan to June Jan to June June June CANADA ATLANTIC...3. Newfoundland Nova Scotia New Brunswick Prince Edward Island CENTRAL Quebec Ontario WEST Manitoba Saskatchewan Alberta British Columbia *Light, medium and heavy trucks. Source: Statistics Canada.

6 CANADIAN MOTOR VEHICLE PRODUCTION Jan to July Jan to July July July TOTAL 1,3.1 1, CAR Chrysler GM Honda Toyota TRUCKS* Chrysler Ford GM Honda Toyota Others *Light, medium and heavy trucks. Source: Ward's Automotive Reports. 3. quarterly Canada Motor Vehicle Production 3. Canada World Auto Trade Balances billions of dollars Total. 3 Assembled vehicles 3.. Total 1. Cars Trucks* Parts Millions of units, seasonally adjusted annual rates. *Light, medium and heavy trucks. Source: Ward's Automotive Reports. 17 data are January-June annualized. Source: Statistics Canada.

7 New & Used Car Prices Scotiabank Car Price Indicators Canada Used* year-over-year per cent change 1 New 1 CPI *Scotiabank estimate from Canadian Black Book data. Sources: Canadian Black Book, Statistics Canada. Scotiabank Car Price Indicators Canada thousands of dollars by age of car, seasonally adjusted Year 1 1 Year Year Scotiabank estimate from Canadian Black Book data. Scotiabank Car Price Indicators United States year-over-year per cent change 1 Used 1 CPI - New Consumer price indices for new and used cars. Shaded areas indicate recession periods. Source: U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics. 7

8 CANADIAN CORPORATE FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE MOTOR VEHICLE DEALERS AND REPAIR SHOPS Net Incom e Pre-Tax Inventory Interes t Debt/ Return on After Tax Profit Turnover Coverage Equity Shareholders ($ mil) Margin (%) Ratio Ratio Ratio Equity (%) Annual Quarterly at annual rates 1Q Q Q Q Q Average (9 1) Low (9 1) Definition of Ratios: Pre-tax Profit Margin: pre-tax income/sales Inventory Turnover Ratio: sales/inventory Source: Statistics Canada. Interest Coverage Ratio: (pre-tax income and interest payments)/(interest payments) Debt/Equity Ratio: (short-term and long-term debt)/total equity Return of Shareholders Equity: after-tax income/total equity number of bankruptcies Retail Auto Dealer Bankruptcies Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. New car dealers only; cumulative total during the year. Source: Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy.

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