After Black Book reported wholesale prices were returning to normal earlier this week, NADA Used Car Guide reinforced that assertion as it predicts wholesale prices will fall by 0.3 percent or $50, after seeing large price hikes in March.

The slight decline will bring the average industry price down to $17,225 by the end of this week, according to NADA UCG.

Only two segments are expected to see gains this week.

The compact cars will lead the increases with a gain of 0.4 percent, and utilities are expected to follow with a 0.2 percent spike.

On the other hand, the biggest drops are expected in the mid-size van segment, with a 0.9 percent or $150 slide.

As spring gets underway, demand for large SUVs is falling, and the segment is predicted to drop by 0.7 percent or $200.

All remaining segments are expected to fall within a tight range of 0.1 percent to 0.5 percent, according to David Paris, automotive analyst at NADA UCG.

And If last week’s price movement is any indicator, spikes in wholesale prices may finally be slowing down as Tuesday marked the IRS tax filing deadline.

Wholesale prices rose 6 percent in March on a monthly basis and 4 percent from the same period last year, averaging $10,429, according to ADESA Analytical Services’ data. But rates might just be getting back to normal.

Though the auction market is still holding strong overall, this past week marked the lowest level of price increases in the past four weeks, according to Black Book’s Ricky Beggs, who reported that 62 percent of rate changes were increases.

This is very much in line with what Black Book has heard from the lanes, including comment like “good but not as strong as last month” from the Texas market to go along with “steady again” out of Illinois and the “still high” all the way from Washington state, the Black Book editorial director reported in his latest “Beggs on the Used Car Market” video report.

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.