American carmakers report strong sales figures for May 2014

The American carmakers reported strong sales figures for May 2014.

Chrysler said sales were up 17%, driven by its Jeep brand which saw sales jump 58% after it introduced new models.

GM reported a 12.6% rise in sales compared with the same period last year.

Ford posted a better-than-expected 3% increase in sales, helped by increasing demand for sports utility vehicles (SUVs) as well as its Fusion sedan.

The carmaker saw its truck sales drop 4% as it cut back on incentives in preparation for the launch of its new F-150 pick-up truck, which is the best-selling vehicle in North America.

Ford also said it was shutting down some truck plants for a total of 13 weeks in an effort to plan for the launch and manage inventory of the new truck, which features a lighter body for better fuel mileage.

May is traditionally a strong month for car sales in the US.

This May in particular was helped by an extra weekend, which saw particularly strong sales.

GM shares rose more than 3% on the news, before falling later in the day.

The company appears not to be suffering from a mishandled recall, which resulted in a $35 million fine for the company last month.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Board (NHTSA) said it was the single highest civil penalty ever levied as a result of a recall investigation.

Foreign car makers also saw strong US sales, with Japanese car makers Toyota and Nissan reporting double-digit sales increases.

Of the major car manufacturers, only Volkswagen saw its sales fall.

Demand for Volkswagen vehicles slumped 15%, partially as a result of a pause before the launch of a new Golf compact car.