MILAN (AP) — The European automaker's association says car sales grew in April, ending 18 consecutive months of decline.

ACEA said in a release Friday that 1.038 million cars were sold last month — up from the historic low for April of 1.021 million reached in 2012.

Still, the association noted the increase this year was due to two more working days last month compared with a year earlier. In absolute terms, April 2013 sales were the third lowest recorded for the month.

Sales were up in Germany, Spain and Britain, down in France and Italy.

The auto industry has been hit by Europe's deepening recession and rising unemployment.

For the first four months of the year, sales were down 7.1 percent to 4.026 million.