US New Vehicle Inventory Rises 4.5% as Sales Moderate, Prices Near Record

US new vehicle inventory rose 4.5% in September to 2.8 million units, while sales moderated and average prices approached all-time highs, up 0.9% month-over-month. Supply of economical models remains scarce, indicating persistent affordability pressures. The data suggests a cooling but resilient auto market, with implications for consumer spending and inflation.