Currency arbitrage, consumer debt dampen South America’s leading markets

South America’s light vehicle market ended 2013 with another sales record and the 10^th consecutive year of growth. The region’s ten primary markets, which account for about 94% of demand in South America, saw sales inch up 0.6% to 5.61 million units. However, political instability, tighter lending conditions and currency fluctuations are starting to take their toll, and the outlook for 2014 has many concerned.