BEIJING: China's auto sales dropped 9.1% in November from a year earlier, industry data showed on Friday, for their seventh consecutive monthly fall as a prolonged global shortage of semiconductors disrupts production.

       Overall sales in the world's biggest car market stood at 2.52 million vehicles in November, data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) showed.

       Sales of new energy vehicles (NEV) maintained strong momentum, growing 121% to 450,000 units in November, as the government promotes greener vehicles to cut pollution.

       These include battery-powered electric vehicles, plug-in petrol-electric hybrids and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles.

       November sales had beaten the association's expectations, said an official of the body, Chen Shihua as companies benefited from falling prices of raw materials and an easing of power shortages that halted output at many factories in prior months.

       But the shortage of semiconductors will continue to pressure the auto industry in December, he added. - Reuters