GM says sales rise 5 percent over last year as cautious buyers return to showrooms

GM sales rise 5 pct as buyers return to dealers

DETROIT — General Motors Co. says its U.S. July sales rose slightly from June, an indication that uneasy consumers are still spending on big-ticket items such as cars and trucks.

The automaker’s sales rose 2.6 percent over June, a month in which overall industry sales cooled because shoppers grew worried about the economy.

GM says July sales rose 5 percent from the same month last year, helped by deals to make room for 2011 models.

GM says sales from its four brands that haven’t been sold or closed — Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac — rose 25 percent over July of 2009. Buick and Cadillac sales more than doubled.

All automakers report July sales on Tuesday. Analysts expect the month to be one of the year’s strongest but warn that shoppers are still wary of weak economic growth and slow hiring.