BRUSSELS: New car sales in the European Union fell by 4.8 percent in October, the 13th consecutive monthly decline, translating into a 7.3-percent drop for the first 10 months of 2012 compared to last year, industry data showed last week.

October registrations across the EU totaled 959,412 and 10,327,276 units for the year to date, according to the ACEA European manufacturers association. Most markets for which data were available recorded a drop, except Britain, which saw sales rise by 12.1 percent, and Germany, where sales edged up by 0.5 percent.

Sales in Spain slumped by 21.7 percent and by 12.4 percent in Italy, while French registrations dipped 7.8 percent.