The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights:General Motors, Ford Motor, Toyota Motor, Honda Motor and Nissan Motor

CHICAGO, July 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog includeGeneral Motors (NYSE:GM-Free Report), Ford Motor (NYSE:F-Free Report), Toyota Motor Corp. (NYSE:TM-Free Report), Honda Motor Co. (NYSE:HMC-Free Report) and Nissan Motor Co. (OTC:NSANY-Free Report).

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20101027/ZIRLOGO)

Today, Zacks is promoting its ''Buy'' stock recommendations. Get #1Stock of the Day pick for free.

Here are highlights from Thursday's Analyst Blog:

Auto Sales Rise Steadily in China

After months of sluggish growth owing to weak economic conditions and restrictions imposed by the government on new vehicles, total vehicle sales in China reflected a steady growth of 11.2% in Jun compared with 9.8% in May, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM).

A total of 1.8 million vehicles were sold in the country during the month, leading to sales of 10.8 million vehicles for the first half of the year, up 12.3% on a year-over-year basis. Passenger vehicle (cars, multipurpose and sport-utility vehicles) sales also increased steadily by 9.3% to 1.4 million units in Jun compared with 9.0% in May. For the first half of the year, passenger vehicle sales rose 13.8% to 8.7 million units.

The steady growth in sales was mainly attributable to lower prices, which partially offset the effect of shortage of credit, weak economy and government restrictions on vehicle registration due to increasing traffic congestion and pollution in Chinese cities.

Sales of American brands swelled 12.7% to 1.8 million vehicles in the first half of 2013. Among the U.S. automakers, General Motors' (NYSE:GM-Free Report) sales went up 10.6% to 236,207 vehicles in the month while Ford Motor's (NYSE:F-Free Report) sales continued to be impressive, soaring 44% to 75,254 vehicles in Jun.

Sales of Japanese automakers recovered from the effect of political conflict between Beijing and Tokyo over disputed islands in the East China Sea.

Sales of Japanese brands, including Toyota Motor Corp. (NYSE:TM-Free Report), Honda Motor Co. (NYSE:HMC-Free Report) and Nissan Motor Co. (OTC:NSANY-Free Report), grew 16.5% to 2.3 million vehicles in the first half of the year, as CAAM has revealed. Among them, Toyota sales grew 9% to 76,900 vehicles, Honda sales dipped 5.6% to 61,003 vehicles and Nissan sales fell 7.7% to 101,400 units.

Chinese automakers suffered due to strong competition from foreign automakers and their local brands. Sales of Chinese brands rose only 5.5% to 5.3 million vehicles during the first half of the year.

Meanwhile, sales of German brands went up 20.6% to 2.9 million vehicles in the same period. Sales of Germany's BMW grew 6.9% to 184,489 vehicles in the month.

In 2009, China overtook the U.S. as the biggest auto market in the world by sales volumes when the Beijing government introduced a stimulus package, including tax incentives for small cars.

However, the incentives were scrapped and the Beijing government imposed quotas on new car registrations in order to control the traffic congestions. The scenario is expected to become worse in the future, as Chinese government has widened the number of cities where it is curbing vehicle purchases to reduce greenhouse gases, as China Association of Automobile Manufacturers has revealed.

According to Shi Jianhua, deputy secretary general of CAAM, the Chinese government will include Chengdu, Chongqing, Hangzhou, Qingdao, Shenzhen, Shijiazhuang, Tianjin and Wuhan cities for controlling auto sales. Shi believes that the controlling measures will reduce vehicle deliveries by 400,000 units or 2% of total vehicle sales in the country.

Today, Zacks is promoting its ''Buy'' stock recommendations. Get #1Stock of the Day pick for free.

About Zacks Equity Research

Zacks Equity Research provides the best of quantitative and qualitative analysis to help investors know what stocks to buy and which to sell for the long-term.

Continuous coverage is provided for a universe of 1,150 publicly traded stocks. Our analysts are organized by industry which gives them keen insights to developments that affect company profits and stock performance. Recommendations and target prices are six-month time horizons.

Zacks "Profit from the Pros" e-mail newsletter provides highlights of the latest analysis from Zacks Equity Research. Subscribe to this free newsletter today.

About Zacks

Zacks.com is a property of Zacks Investment Research, Inc., which was formed in 1978. The later formation of the Zacks Rank, a proprietary stock picking system; continues to outperform the market by nearly a 3 to 1 margin. The best way to unlock the profitable stock recommendations and market insights of Zacks Investment Research is through our free daily email newsletter; Profit from the Pros.  In short, it's your steady flow of Profitable ideas GUARANTEED to be worth your time! Register for your free subscription to Profit from the Pros.

Get the full Report on GM - FREE

Get the full Report on F - FREE

Get the full Report on TM - FREE

Get the full Report on HMC - FREE

Get the full Report on NSANY - FREE

Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/zacksresearch

Join us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Zacks-Investment-Research/57553657748?ref=ts

Zacks Investment Research is under common control with affiliated entities (including a broker-dealer and an investment adviser), which may engage in transactions involving the foregoing securities for the clients of such affiliates.

Media Contact
Zacks Investment Research
800-767-3771 ext. 9339
support@zacks.com
http://www.zacks.com

Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit http://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.

SOURCE Zacks Investment Research, Inc.