The auto sales slowdown that emerged in June is largely a hangover from the spring surge, when consumers rushed to dealerships nationwide to beat tariff hikes sparked by President Trump's escalating trade war and new tariffs on trading partners. With affordability still worsening and economic uncertainty elevated, industry researcher J.D. Power now expects sales to remain subdued through the second half of the year. {chart} Bloomberg cited a new report from J.D. Power that showed consumers rushed to buy new vehicles before prices climbed, pushing Q2 sales up 2.5% year-over-year. But that momentum quickly fizzled with ... (full story)