Domestic sales rose by 59 per cent to 59,196, whilst overseas business was up 47 per cent to 8498 units. The company, which announced a JV with Russian OEM AMO-ZIL in December last year aims to sell 33 per cent of its output overseas by 2010, and has stated aims to sell 30,000 units into the export markets during 2008.

China's pre-Olympic move to Euro III has had markedly positive effect upon Sinotruk's numbers, which, in this reporting period, have outpaced China's overall vehicle market by a significant amount, according to Bloomberg. What is less clear is the extent to which this pull forward will impact the company's figures over the rest of the year. With some commentators now questioning the veracity of Chinese claims to a 10 per cent rate of growth, Sinotruk's 21 per cent market share may well be extended over the next six months, but overall market size could contract quite markedly as post Olympics infrastructure work is suspended.

Notable too is the degree to which Sinotruk's stock has tanked. Floated in Hong Kong last November at an initial price of HK$12.88, it is currently trading at HK$6.17, a 52 per cent decline