Car sales jump 4% in January

Americans are buying new cars and trucks in spite of higher gas prices and worries about the dysfunctional economy. New car and truck sales were up 4% in January to an annul rate for 15.4 million units. The peak year was 2005 when 17 million units sold, but this is well ahead of the numbers we saw at the bottom of the recession at 10 million in 2009. American manufacturers have been  enjoying a boost created by the earthquake affecting  Japan in 2011. Japanese manufacturers  are expected to be back in the market in 2013, in strong presence,  which may cut into the double digit growth U.S. car makers were realizing last year.