FRANKFURT - BMW forecast global sales would keep rising, letting it defend its role as the world's top premium carmaker, after sales volume edged up 2 percent in October to 115,252 units.

Our sales figures have been steadily recovering since April and we were able to make gains in October as planned. We expect to see further solid growth in November and December, group sales and marketing head Ian Robertson said on Monday.

Group vehicle sales fell 14 percent in the first 10 months of the year to 1.05 million units.

Sales at Daimler's Mercedes-Benz Cars premium division rose 4.1 percent in October and were also down 14 percent in the first 10 months. (Reporting by Christiaan Hetzner and Michael Shields)

Daimler AG