
French passenger car sales rose 0.9 percent in July in a sign that auto demand may finally be stabilizing in one of the markets worst hit by Europe’s sustained slump.

French passenger car sales rose 0.9 percent in July in a sign that auto demand may finally be stabilizing in one of the markets worst hit by Europe’s sustained slump.

With unemployment in France rising and consumer confidence at a record low, auto sales in the country have tumbled more than any other major European market this year.

New-car sales in the UK rose 13 percent in June compared with a year earlier, marking the 16th consecutive month of growth for the market. The rise in sales is in stark contrast to other major European markets, which have seen sales falling.