Brazilian vehicle sales slump 90pc

Brazil's vehicles sales tumbled by 90pc in the last week of March compared to the beginning of the month as coronavirus-related lockdown restrictions in most Brazilian states weighed on retail activity.

Sales slumped to a daily average of 1,400 units in the last week of the month from 10,700 in the first week, according to vehicle association Anfavea.

Sales fell by 18pc to 163,625 units in the full month of March from February. Sales in March were off by 21pc from a year earlier.

Vehicle sales were down 8.1pc at 558,000 units from January to March compared to the same period a year earlier.

The contraction in sales did not affect agricultural and civil construction vehicles sales, which had a 46pc increase in March compared to the previous month, driven by the beginning of the harvests in the country.

By Lara Leal