Honda Motor : extends North American auto plant shutdowns

Honda Motor Co said Thursday it will extend a shutdown of all U.S. and Canadian auto plant production through April 10 and at its plant in Celaya, central Mexico, until April 13, because of the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.

Honda's plant in El Salto in the western Mexican state of Jalisco, will also suspend production operations between April 4 and April 13, Honda's Mexican unit said.

A growing number of automakers have said they will not restart U.S. production until at least mid-April as demand sharply falls off for auto sales. Honda began its auto production halt on March 23.

(Reporting by David Shepardson and Sharay Angulo in Mexico City; Editing by Dave Graham)