China propels BMW to strong profits, Germany lags

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Auto sales are booming in China and Germany’s BMW is benefiting. The luxury carmarker doubled its sales there in the first quarter. That helped Munich-based BMW make net profit of 2.8 billion euros in the first three months of the year. Auto markets are rebounding from the worst of the pandemic recession. One exception was BMW’s home market in Germany, where sales were down. The company says it is using all that cash to push ahead with more electric and digitally connected cars.