▁effects ▁and ▁policy ▁responses ▁see ▁Fin an cial ▁crisis ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 7 - 0 8 . ▁For ▁a ▁tim eline ▁see ▁Sub prime ▁crisis ▁impact ▁tim eline . ▁ ▁Week ▁of ▁November ▁ 2 ▁ ▁Re ports ▁of ▁economic ▁activity ▁October ▁sales ▁of ▁cars ▁and ▁light ▁tr uck s ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁fell ▁precip it ously ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁when ▁compared ▁with ▁sales ▁in ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁with ▁General ▁Mot ors ▁falling ▁ 4 5 %, ▁Ford ▁falling ▁ 3 0 %, ▁Ch rys ler ▁falling ▁ 3 5 %, ▁Toy ota ▁falling ▁ 2 3 %, ▁H onda ▁falling ▁ 2 5 %, ▁and ▁N iss an ▁falling ▁ 3 3 %. ▁Much ▁of ▁the ▁fal lo ff ▁in ▁sales ▁was ▁att rib utable ▁to ▁customers ▁being ▁unable ▁to ▁ar range ▁finan cing . ▁Ex cept ▁for ▁Wal - Mart , ▁which ▁posted ▁a ▁slight ▁gain , ▁ret ail ▁sales ▁were ▁off ▁during ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁as ▁compared ▁with ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁with ▁some ▁moder ate ▁pr iced ▁stores ▁reporting ▁double ▁digit ▁decre ases . ▁October ▁ret ail ▁sales ▁were ▁down ▁ 4 . 1 % ▁from ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁and ▁down ▁ 2 . 8 % ▁from ▁September ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁with ▁sales ▁of ▁cars ▁and ▁auto ▁parts ▁leading ▁the ▁way ▁with ▁a ▁ 2 3 . 4 % ▁decl ine ▁from ▁October ▁ 2