Auction volume in November was up more than 6 percent against comparable weeks of 2013, pushing year-to-date growth to 4.4 percent. 

These statistics are part of the National Auto Auction Association’s latest Economic Dashboard, which is prepared by NAAA economist Ira Silver.

Another November indicator cited in the report is used-car sales. These were up modestly in November (0.5 percent), the report said, citing CNW Research. Through 11 months, used sales are down modestly (0.1 percent) from the year-ago time frame.

Elsewhere, new-car sales climbed 5.5 percent in November and have improved 5.4 percent through 11 months.

The growth in auction volume during November and year-to-date reflects much of what was noted in NAAA’s most recent Economy and Auction Industry Report, which recapped auction activity through three quarters.

“Auction volume growth in 2014 has been around 4 percent all year as strong commercial consignment has offset a slowdown in dealer consignment growth,” NAAA's Ira Silver said in the report. “We expect that auction volume will be up by 4 percent to 5 percent this year for the third annual increase in a row.”

And based on NAAA’s forecast, the annual gains may not stop at three.

The trend lines in the new-car market in recent years are likely to show separate and positive impacts in both dealer and commercial consignment down the road, NAAA said.

“Going forward we anticipate that increasing new-car sales and trade-ins will drive growth in dealer consignment up somewhat from recent levels,” Silver said. |

“Past growth in new-vehicles sales into leasing and fleets will support good gains in commercial consignment for the next couple of years as those vehicles make their way into the auction lanes,” he added.