CARY, N.C. -

With increases in the amount of inventory flowing through the auction and other channels, dealers, it seems, are able to get their hands on an ample supply of used cars for their lots.

Halfway through 2014, year-to-date auction volume is up nearly 4 percent against comparable weeks of 2013, according to the National Auto Auction Association.

In its latest Economic Dashboard, which is prepared by NAAA economist Ira Silver, the association indicates that auction volume in June was up 3.9 percent year-over-year (for comparable weeks), and through the first six months of the year, it has increased 3.8 percent.

According to CNW Research, used-car supply (measured as available inventory to sell at retail) was at 45.49 days in June. And while this was down 1.49 percent year-over-year, it hovers near what CNW considers to be an ideal level of 45 days’ supply.

By vehicle type, there were 47.11 days’ supply of used cars last month, versus 43.28 days’ worth of used truck supply, CNW indicated.

Breaking that down further, franchised dealers had 47.78 days’ supply of used vehicles in June, while independents were at 45.28.

Month-by-Month Trending

CNW also provided data on how used days’ supply has ebbed and flowed each month of 2014.  So far, inventory levels have stayed between 45 and 52 days’ supply in each of the first six months.

The only year-over-year rise was a 1.36-percent increase in February. But it should be noted that inventory either rose or remained flat in each of the first six months of 2013, including double-digital-percentage increases in January, February and March of last year — and days’ supply for all three of those months was over 50.

Below is how days’ supply has shaken out in the first six months of 2014, per CNW, with year-over-year change in parentheses:

January: 49.72 (down 0.80%)

February: 51.33 (up 1.36%)

March: 47.96 (down 6.31%)

April: 48.27 (down 3.13%

May: 46.13 (down 1.41%)

June: 45.49 (down 1.49%)