Bandon, Ore. — CNW Research’s retail automotive summary for April shows that monthly subprime loan approvals were down from March by nearly 4 percent, but the year-over-year reading tells a different story.

“The near-4 percent decline could have many possible reasons and be nothing more than a single-month anomaly, but some states are beginning to tighten up or threaten the finance industry with additional regulations if there is even the perception of taking advantage of low-income consumers,” CNW’s Art Spinella stated in the report.

Despite the monthly low for subprime loans, subprime approvals on a year-over-year basis are up nearly 35 percent.

“On another front, leasing continues to take a growing share of overall sales. This month, it is running at a 27.5 percent rate, up 5.7 percent,” the report continues.

With the monthly decline, though, Spinella warns subprime loans are “one thing to watch carefully” going forward.