What to look for in February car sales numbers

Around noon today, the major car companies will begin to announce sales figures for February. They will be bad, but will they be below expectations? Analysts are expecting a tiny tick up from January.

According toEdmund's, which tracks auto sales by month, Chrysler's numbers will be down over 50 percent. Since it is the weakest major car company marketing vehicles in the U.S., it would be telling and positive if it can post a sales loss of less than half from the same period last year. The other two members of The Big Three are expected to lose 40 percent or more of their business.