GM reports 31% sales decline in U.S. market

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A flock of birds sit on a covered General Motors sign at an abandoned auto dealership in Warren, Michigan Dec. 18, 2008. (Chinese media/Reuters Photo)
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CHICAGO, Jan. 5 (Chinese media) -- General Motors (GM), the major U.S. automaker, on Monday reported a 31-percent decline in its December sales in its home country.

According to a report on GM's website, its dealers in

the United States delivered 221,983 vehicles in December, down 31 percent

compared with a year ago.

However, total deliveries were 67,000 vehicles more

than November's result, up more than 43 percent month over month.

GM December car sales of 87,506 were off 25 percent

and truck sales of 134,477 were down 35 percent compared with a year ago.

For the year, GM delivered 2,980,688 vehicles while

maintaining an expected market share just above 22 percent.

Annual deliveries were down 23 percent compared with

2007, largely due to building weakness in the marketplace throughout the year

spurred by economic headwinds such as the dramatic reduction in credit

availability experienced in the fourth quarter, coupled with historically low

levels of consumer confidence.

Additionally, the American Axle strike and several

supply disruptions impacted GM's performance in the first half of the year.

"Given the ongoing challenges and the difficult

market environment, we were very encouraged to see a volume rebound for GM in

December compared with both October and November," said Mark LaNeve, vice

president in charge of GM North America Vehicle Sales, Service and Marketing.