“It’s no longer expanding at the rate the manufacturers thought it would.”<br />He added that the more optimistic consumer sentiment recorded since Mr. Trump’s election “hasn’t<br />translated into what’s happening in dealerships where we’re trying to sell cars.”<br />Wall Street took notice: Shares of Ford Motor and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles were<br />down more than 4 percent, and General Motors shares fell almost 3 percent.<br />Many analysts have forecast that auto sales will suffer a small decline this year<br />— to about 17.2 million vehicles from the record of 17.5 million sold in 2016.<br />U. S. Auto Boom Seems to Be History, Just as Trump Counted on Jobs -<br />By NEAL E. BOUDETTEMAY 2, 2017<br />For seven years, the steadily expanding auto industry has helped drive the American economy forward, racking up billions in profit<br />and paying workers hefty bonuses, all while consumers flocked to dealerships and drove sales to record heights.<br />Ford Motor and Fiat Chrysler both saw their sales fall 7 percent or more in April, while Honda’s fell 6.3 percent and General Motors’ 5.8 percent.<br />In April, automakers sold 1.43 million cars and trucks, down from 1.5 million a year ago.
