The automobile exchange traded fund could be shifting into high gear, with the car industry recently revealing their best two-month period of U.S. sales in 15 years.
The First Trust NASDAQ Global Auto Index Fund (NasdaqGM: CARZ), which provides access to global automobile manufacturers, increased 8.2% over the past month and is up 0.8% year-to-date.
General Motors (NYSE: GM) and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. (NYSE: FCAU) were among manufacturers that posted better-than-expected results for October after a strong September, Bloomberg reports.
GM is the largest component in the automobile ETF, accounting for 9.1% of CARZ’s underlying index.
U.S. consumers have loosened their wallets as the economy improves, exhibiting increased demand for expensive trucks and luxury sport utility vehicles. Car sales are jumping s job growth, available credit and affordable fuel pushed consumers to replace aging models, notably sport utility vehicles.
“The consumer is driving this,” Jeff Schuster, an analyst for LMC Automotive, told Bloomberg. “You have a consumer who feels good about the economy, who wants a new vehicle and who has the means to get it with relatively cheap credit. Everything is aligning.”
All major car manufacturers were expected to report higher October car sales, except Volkswagen AG, which has been dealing with the diesel-emission scandal. Nevertheless, the combined sales of Volkswagen and Audi rose 5.8%, compared to average expectations of a 6.4% decline. [Car ETF Gaining Speed Despite Road Blocks]