Auto sales up ahead of possible tax change

China's passenger-vehicle sales climbed for a sixth consecutive month as consumers rushed to buy ahead of the planned year-end expiration of a tax cut, and General Motors Co and Great Wall Motor Co emerged from stiff price competition with rising deliveries. Retail sales of cars, sport utility and multipurpose vehicles increased 24.5 percent to 1.8 million units in August, the China Passenger Car Association said on Thursday. Deliveries climbed 13 percent to 14.2 million units through the first eight months of this year.

New-energy vehicle subsidies swindled