Some 2.25 million passenger cars were sold....>

CHINA: Some 2.25 million passenger cars were sold in China in October, a gain of

2% from September and 3% from a year ago, the China Passenger Car Association

said Wednesday. The bigger-than-expected rise was due to a recovery consumers'

purchasing power because of increasingly stable housing prices as well as car

makers' sales promotions during the month, the association said. SUV sales led

growth, up 5% on the month. Sales of new energy cars grew 12% m/m to 65,000 in

October, double the year ago level, it noted. China's environment protection

campaign and the cooling of the property market will continue to boost passenger

car sales this winter, the group predicted.