Basic Motors mentioned on Wednesday that its gross sales of latest autos in the US jumped 14 p.c final 12 months, amid a broader rebound within the auto business pushed by a powerful economic system and an improved provides of essential elements.

The corporate bought 2.6 million automobiles and light-weight vans in 2023, up from 2.3 million in 2022, when a scarcity of laptop chips prevented G.M. and different producers from producing as many automobiles as shoppers have been trying to purchase.

However in a doubtlessly worrying signal for the corporate, gross sales within the fourth quarter have been comparatively weak. They climbed simply 0.3 p.c from the identical interval a 12 months earlier and have been down 7 p.c in contrast with the third quarter of 2023. That implies that demand for automobiles and vans weakened on the finish of the 12 months due to the Federal Reserve’s rate of interest will increase which have made automobile purchases costlier.

Individually, Toyota Motor, the second largest vendor of automobiles in the US after G.M., mentioned its 2023 gross sales rose 7 p.c, to 2.2 million autos. The corporate’s gross sales within the fourth quarter have been 15.4 p.c greater than in the identical quarter a 12 months in the past and about 5 p.c greater than within the third quarter.

Gross sales of electrical autos elevated final 12 months, climbing to a couple of million in complete for the primary time. However the buy of battery-powered automobiles and vans is rising at a slower tempo then producers had anticipated, forcing G.M. and different firms to regulate manufacturing plans.

G.M. bought almost 76,000 electrical autos final 12 months, up from about 39,000 in 2022. A big majority of these gross sales have been for 2 variations of the Chevrolet Bolt, which the corporate has stopped producing.

The corporate’s inventory was down about 2.5 p.c round midday on Wednesday.