Toyota's global sales hit May record

Toyota Motor Corporation said on Friday that its global sales rose for a fifth straight month in May, setting a record for the month.

 Worldwide sales climbed 6.9 per cent year-on-year to 898,721 vehicles in May, driven by robust demand in North America, China and Japan, the company said. Sales in the United States went up by almost 11 percent.

 However, Toyota's global vehicle production edged down 0.7 percent year-on-year in May, the first drop in five months, due to fewer operating days in Japan, the automaker said.

 The production and sales figures also include Toyota's luxury brand, Lexus.

WAM