CARMEL, Ind. — Wholesale used-vehicle prices rose 3.1 percent from November to an average price of $9,849 in December, ADESA Analytical Services reports. However, the monthly wholesale average declined slightly by 0.2 percent from the year-ago period’s $9,869 average.

“Some residual effects of Superstorm Sandy may be evident in the relatively strong wholesale prices seen during December,” wrote ADESA’s Tom Kontos in his monthly market report.

According to the data, cars, trucks and crossovers all showed strong monthly gains. Wholesale prices for cars rose 3.8 percent from November to $8,930, representing 0.6 percent increase from December 2011. Wholesale prices for trucks grew 2.3 percent to $9,889, which was down 1.2 percent from the same month one year ago. Wholesale prices for crossovers rose 2.7 percent to $13,117 in December, which was down 1.4 percent from a year ago.

December prices for used vehicles remarketed by manufacturers were up by 3.2 percent on a month-over-month basis. On a year-over-year basis, prices for vehicles remarketed by manufacturers were up 6.9 percent, which ADESA said indicates continued absorption of off-rental program vehicles.

Compared to 2011, wholesale prices last year were up 4.9 percent for manufacturers, but down 0.4 percent for fleet/lease consignors and 1.7 percent for dealers.

“This is explainable, in part, by the more significant lack of late-model used vehicles generally sold by manufacturers versus the more abundant supply of older models typically sold by fleet/lease companies and dealers,” Kontos wrote. “December has been a seasonally stronger month than November and more comparable to January in recent years, notwithstanding, or perhaps because of, the tendency of some consignors to hold cars during December in anticipation of higher prices in January.

“Those consignors who chose to sell rather than hold in December were rewarded with stronger prices, as well as capitalizing on the time value of money,” Kontos added.