CHINA'S auto market is unlikely to repeat its usual year-end boom with November sales posting a bigger decline amid high oil prices and slower economy growth.

Auto makers sold a combined 1.65 million vehicles in November, down 2.4 percent from the same period of last year, the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers said yesterday. That compared with the 1 percent drop in October. Between January and November, auto deliveries increased by 2.6 percent to 16.8 million units, moderating from a 3.2 percent gain during the first 10 months.

After a 32 percent sales surge in 2010, China's vehicle sales grew at a slower pace this year as government tightened credit to battle inflation and incentives for small cars ended.

The association earlier cut its full-year sales growth forecast from 10 percent to less than 5 percent.

In November, passenger car sales, including sedans, sport-utility vehicles, multi-purpose vehicles and minivans, edged up 0.29 percent YoY to 1.34 million units, the slowest pace since May this year. Commercial vehicle sales fell 13 percent to 312,300 units in November.

China's home-grown car maker Chery Automobile led the decline last month with car deliveries falling 5.9 percent to 41,600 units.

Source:shanghaidaily