U. S. AUTO SALES WILL CONTINUE TO RISE INTO 2017: SCOTIABANK

U.S. auto sales will continue to rise for the remainder of this year and into 2017, according to a new forecast from Scotiabank that contradicts the increasingly popular view that sales have plateaued. Several indicators, including ongoing job growth, vehicle affordability and a strong automotive finance market should continue to drive U. S. auto sales, said Carlos Gomes, senior economist at Sco- tiabank. Demand for crossovers and pickup trucks to replace aging sedans is also driving U. S. sales, Gomes wrote Tuesday. In Canada, auto sales rose in seven provinces through July, led by increases of nine per cent in Ontario and seven per cent in B.C. In Alberta, which experienced double- digit declines in sales earlier this year, volumes appear to be stabilizing.