Car sales: China takes pole

THE world’s auto industry is expected to suffer a fourth year of poor sales in 2011. Demand in America will rise only slightly: with the housing market still in the doldrums and cash-for-clunker subsidies at an end, consumers will be wary about buying big-ticket items. In Europe, without subsidies and with government spending cuts due to come into force, demand will fall further. Sales in Japan will dip again.

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