U.S. Auto Industry Uneasy After Weak July Sales

By Dee-Ann Durbin and Tom Krisher

DETROIT -- Car buyers kept visiting dealerships in July, but not in big enough numbers to shake the auto industry's unease about its recovery.

Analysts predicted only a slight rise in U.S. sales of new cars and trucks for July. A lack of discounts and continuing shortages of Japanese cars kept many buyers away, causing sales to sputter for the third straight month. Americans also worried about the weakening economy.