The construction of the factory led to speculation that the auto maker might shift its manufacturing base from Haryana because of the labor problems there.
Steel also cited ideas in the marketplace that there is a continuing shift in which auto makers are trying to use more palladium in catalysts, whenever possible, rather than more-expensive platinum.
With the weaker yen, some question whether Nissan will follow through with its plan to shift SUV production to the U.S. On April 12, the Nikkei business daily reported that the auto maker may delay the production shift.
Reports surfaced Thursday that GM's top managers are working on additional restructuring moves in an effort to address the declining U.S. auto market, as well as speeding up the shift in their products from gas-guzzling contraptions to more economically sensible cars.
One argument carried through many of these articles deserves more scrutiny: the notion that the effective cost of auto transportation will drop so dramatically that there will be a substantial shift away from car ownership to reliance on third-party fleets, available on demand.