Report: China passenger car sales up 18 pct in Aug

By The Associated Press

CHINA CAR SALES: Car and truck sales in China -- the world's biggest auto market -- rose 18 percent to 1.02 million in August from a year earlier, according to the China Passenger Car Association.

RELIEF: Automakers seeking to offset lagging sales elsewhere have benefited from China's fast-growing market, where sales are expected to rise 20 percent this year. U.S. auto sales fell 21 percent in August to 997,468.

SLOWDOWN?: Chinese government subsidies and price cuts boosted August sales. A slowdown could come if those incentives end or if the government steps in to discourage overproduction.