Prices in the lanes this week are expected to grow slightly, according to NADA Used Car Guide.

NADA UCG is predicting that prices will increase by 0.3 percent, or $50, this week.

Breaking it down by segment, compact cars, compact utilities and large pickups are expected to see the most appreciation over the course of the current week, with average wholesale prices for each segment expected to increase by 0.5 percent.  

Midsize cars and midsize utilities are also expected to see an increase of around 0.4 percent, while the midsize van segment is expected to see a slightly smaller 0.3-percent, or $50, bump in prices, according to NADA UCG.

The large SUV segment is expected to remain flat versus last week.

And only two segments are expected to see declines this week; luxury cars, with a 0.2-percent ($50) decline, and luxury utilities, with a 0.1-percent ($25) decline.

And while prices are expected to rise this week, last week the car segments experienced their largest average price decline since September, when they began 12 straight weeks of large price drops.

Beggs, editorial director and senior vice president of Black Book, poses the question: Could last week’s results be the start of a similar price drop trend for cars as seen last year?

Last week, car prices in the lanes fell by an average of $78. For more information on wholesale price predictions from Black Book, see the Auto Remarketing story here.

Four- and two-week AuctionNet wholesale average prices are created by collecting all AuctionNet records for vehicles  up to five years of age for a specified period of time.  Prices are then adjusted for changes in mileage and mix.

Current week prices are based on NADA's proprietary used-vehicle value model which includes assumptions for new-vehicle prices, used-vehicle supply, gasoline prices, and other economic factors.