Prices of cars manufactured in China saw a slight increase of 0.37 percent in the first half from a year earlier, said a report issued by the price monitoring center under the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) Saturday.

The report said prices of imported vehicles rose 5.57 percent in the first half.

The report was based on surveys carried out in 36 big and mid-size cities.

It forecast domestic auto prices would remain stable despite slight fluctuations because of a balance in supply and demand.

Auto sales topped 6 million in the first half, up 17.69 percent from the same period last year, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM).

China's government halved the purchase tax on passenger cars to 5 percent for models with engine displacements of less than 1.6 liters and started a rebate program for auto buyers in rural areas early this year.

(Xinhua News Agency July 19, 2009)