AUTOS

Strong Mid-August Auto Sales Alleviate Worry: Domestic auto makers said their mid-month sales rose 5.3%, easing analysts’ fears that weak sales earlier in August might be a sign of softening in the recovering auto market. Sales were at their strongest level since late June, helping to make up for the first 10 days of the month, when car sales fell to their lowest rate since late February. “You can be a little more comfortable that the recovery is still intact,” said S.G. Warburg & Co. analyst David Healy. Cars sold at an annualized rate of 7 million in the period, compared to 5.8 million in the first 10 days of August. Light trucks sold at a 4.9-million annualized rate, up from 4.5 million in early August. Over the last three 10-day periods, cars were selling at an annualized rate of 6.5 million. Light trucks have sold at an annualized rate of 4.8 million.