In June 2018, the volume of sales of natonal retail trade changed by -0.3% against the May figure, in the seasonally-adjusted series, the second negative result in a row, with a cumulative decrease of 1.5% in the period. As a result, the quarterly moving average was close to stability, but kept a negative result (-0.1%).

In the unadjusted series, the retail trade grew 0.6% in relation to April 2017. It was the 15th positive rate in a row, but lower than that of May (2.7%).  The volume of retail trade sales recorded positive results in the end of the second quarter of 2018 (1.6%) and the cumulative index in the year (2.9%), in comparison with the same periods in 2017.  The cumulative index in 12 months changed from 3.7% in May to 3.6% in June, a sign of stability.

In terms of extended retail trade, which includes the activities of Vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces and Construction Material, the volume of sales increased 2.5% in relation to May 2018, making up, to a great extent, for the significant decrease recorded in the previous month (-5.1%).

The quarterly moving average was -0.4% in the quarter ending in June, pointing to an increase in the pace of decrease, in comparison with the quarter ended May (-0.6%). Against June 2017, there was increase of 3.7%, the 14th positive rate in a row.  That way, the cumulative index in the year was 5.8% from January to June.  The cumulative index in 12 months also recorded stability, having changed from 6.8% until May to 6.7% in June. 

The support material of this PMC release is on the right side of this page.

Five of the eight activities surveyed recorded increase 

Despite the negative change of 0.3% in the volume of sales of retail trade from May to June 2018, there was increase in five of the eight activities surveyed. The negative contribution came from Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco (-3.5%), which interrupted two months of positive rates, and Fuels and lubricants (-1.9%), which recorded the second decrease in a row, thus affecting the overall result of retail trade. Os setores que registraram avanço frente a maio de 2018 foram: Móveis e eletrodomésticos (4,6%), Equipamentos e material para escritório, informática e comunicação (4,1%), Outros artigos de uso pessoal e doméstico (2,6%), Tecidos, vestuário e calçados (1,7%) e Artigos farmacêuticos, médicos, ortopédicos, de perfumaria e cosméticos (0,9%). O setor de Livros, jornais, revistas e papelaria (0,0%) registrou estabilidade nas vendas.

In relation to June 2017, the volume of retail trade sales increased 1.5%, with advance in four of the eight activities. In order of contribution to the formation of the overall retail trade rate, the highlights were Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco (4.1%), which accounts for the main contribution to the structure of retail trade, followed by Other personal and domestic articles (8.7%), Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic and perfumery articles and cosmetics (4,0%) and Furniture and household appliances (0.7%). On the other hand, the main negative impact came from Fuels and lubricants (-11.6%), followed by Textiles, apparel and footwear (-3.4%), Books, newspapers, magazines, and stationery articles (-11.5%) and Office, computer and communication equipment (-1.4%).

In extended retail trade, the volume of sales in June recorded an increase of 2.5% in relation to May 2018 (seasonally-adjusted series), a result influenced by the sales of Vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces (16.0%, making up for the decrease of 16.0% recorded in May) and Construction material (11.6%, reversing the decrease of -0.9% in May). Against June 2017, extended retail trade recorded the fourteenth positive rate, with an increase of 3.7%, the main highlight being the sector of Vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces (10.3%), followed by Construction material (5.2%).

The sector of Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco had an increase of 4.1% against June 2017. It is the fifteenth positive rate in a row in this comparison, but with deceleration against the May result (8.0%). In spite of that, the segment accounted for the main positive impact on the formation of the overall retail trade rate, supported by the stability of usual real earnings (2.3% in April-June 2018) and by the fall of food prices IPCA measured an inflation of 0.11% in June, cumulative in 12 months for this sector, whereas the overall figure was 4.39%, in the same comparison). The deceleration observed in June still reflects individual impacts since the strikes of truck drivers last May 10. The cumulative index in 12 months showed that, having changed from 4.2% to 4.4% June, the sector kept th upward trend since March  2017 (-3.0%).

Other articles of personal and domestic use, which encompasses department stores, glasses shpops, jewelry stores, sporting goods and toy stores, with expansion of 8.7% against July 2017, accounted for the second biggest contribution to the overall result of retail,, since there was acceleration versus May (6.9%). The cumulative rate over the last 12 months (5.6%) maintained the recovery started in September 2016 (-10.4%).

Pharmaceuticals, medical, orthopedic and perfumery articles (4.0% against June 2017) accounted for the third main contribution to the overall retail trade rate, the fourteenth positive change in a row, against the same month a year ago. The cumulative index in twelve years, having changed from 5.6% in May to 5.7% in June, has remained on an upward trend since April 2017 (-3.5%).

The segment of Furniture and household appliances (0.7% in relation to June 2017) accounted for the fourth positive impact on the formation of retail trade rate in June 2018, after a decrease of 6.8% recorded in May. The positive behavior shows recovery of sales in June, after the supply crisis which followed the truck drivers strike last May. The cumulative indicator in the last 12 months, having changed from 7.7% to 6.8% in June, keeps the loss of increase observed in the last three months.

Fuels and lubricants (-11.6% against June 2017) accounted for the main negative contribution to the overall retail trade rat. A relevant factor for the decrease in the sector is the rise of fuel prices, above the average price change (in June, IPCA measured an inflation of 28.6 in 12 months in the group “fuels”, whereas overall index was 4.39%). As a result, the cumulative decrease in the last twelve month remains (-4.5%) since March 2015, adding to the downward trend observed since April 2018.

The sector of Fabric, apparel and footwear (-3.4% against June 2017) accounted for the second main negative contribution to the composition of retail. As a result, the cumulative index in 12 months (from 3.9% in May to 3.2% in June) contributed to the downward trend observed since January 2018 (7.7%).

Books, newspapers, magazines and stationary articles (-11.5% against June 2017) was influenced by the continuous replacement of printed material in electronic means. The cumulative index in the last twelve months (from -6.0% to -6.8%) has been negative since March 2014 (-0.2%), making even worse the downward trend since April 2017 (-5.2%). 

The segment Office, computer and communication material and equipment fell 1.4% in relation to June 2017. The cumulative index in 12 years (-2.2%) intensifies the rhythm of decrease in sales in relation to May (-1.7%), in a sign of deceleration.

The sector Vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces (10.3% against June 2017) recorded the fourteenth positive rate in a row, the biggest contribution from June to extended retail. The return of the performance to a two-digit figure evidences significant recovery in relation to May (2.1%), when the sector was severely affected by the crisis of supply, resulting from the strike of truck drivers. The cumulative index in twelve months, having changed from 12.6% in May to 13.2% in June, the sector recorded the highest rate, in this comparison, since July 2011 (13.5%) and has remained in recovery.

Construction material (5.2% against June 2017) increased again. As a result, the cumulative index in the year and in 12 months were virtually stable, having changed from 9.3%, in May, to 9.2% in June.

Quarterly results

On a quarterly basis, retail trade (1.6% in the second quarter) kept the positive behavior seen since the second quarter of 2017 (2.4%), but faced deceleration in comparison with the first quarter of 2018 (4.3%), against comparisons with the same period a year ago. The reduction of increase was widespread, and reched seven of the eight activities, the main highlights being Other articles of personal and domestic use (from 10.9% in the first semester to 5.2%, in the second), whereas Pharmaceutical, medical and orthopedic products and toiletries (from 5.0% to 6.2%) was the only one that recorded increase from the first to the second semester of 2018.

Extended retail trade also recorded a decrease of rhythm from the first to the second semester of 2018 (from 6.9% to 4.7%), both compared with the same period a year ago. In the sector of Vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces, that change was from 17.9% in Q1 to  15.1% in Q2 2018. On the other hand, Construction material recorded an increase of rhythm betwee the first two quarters of the year (from 3.7% to 5.9%).

Results by semester 

The cumulative result in January-June 2018, against the same period a year ago, showed increase of the volume of sales of retail trade recorded increase (2.9%), followed by four of the eight activities which show expansion of sales. In order of contribution to the overall result: Hypermarkets, supermarkets, beverages and tobacco (5.4%), Other articles of personal and domestic use (7.9%), Pharmaceutical, medical and orthopedic products and toiletries (5.6%) and Furniture and household appliances (0.6%). With a negative contribution: Fuels and lubricants (-6.0%), Fabric, apparel and footwear (-3.5%), Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery (-8.8%) and Office, computer and communication material and equipment (-0.5%). The performance of extended retail trade in the first semester of 2018 (5.8%) was positively influenced, mainly by the activity Vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces (16.4%), the main contribution to the cumulative retail trade rate, whereas Construction material recorded expansion (4.8%).

Regional results: 12 states recorded decrease in June

From May to June 2018, retail trade sa,es fell in 12 of the 27 Federation Units, the main highlights being Roraima (-3.1%), Pernambuco (-2.2%) and Amazonas (-1.8%). As negative contributions, in terms of magnitude, the main highlights were Mato Grosso do Sul (2.8%) and Maranhão and Paraíba (both with 1.6%). In the same comparison, in extended retail trade, the change between May and June was 2.5%, with increase in 18of the 27 Federation Units, with the biggest increase recorded in Bahia (4.5%). On the other hand, there was decrease between May and June: Roraima (-2.7%) and Amazonas (-2.2%), whereas in Rio de Janeiro and in Pernambuco (both with 0.0%) the sales remained stable.

Against June 2017, national retail trade increased 1.5%, with 23 of the 27 Federation Units recording increase of sales. In terms of magnitude, the highlights were Acre (9.7%), Paraíba (8.8%) and Rio Grande do Norte (8.3%). Negative results were recorded by four states, mainly the Federal District (-5.9%). In the compositon of retail trade rater, the highlights were: Rio Grande do Sul (5.5%), Santa Catarina (6.9%), followed by Espírito Santo (8.3%).

In the end of the first semester of2018, against the same period in 2017, there was advance of 2.9% in retail trade, with 21 of the 27 Federation Units recording increase in sales. The highlights, in terms of the magnitude of rate, were Rio Grande do Norte and Roraima both with 9.9%) and Santa Catarina (9.5%).With the biggest decrease in sales we mention: Goiás (-2.6%) and Federal District (-2.4%). From the second semester of 2017 to the 1st one of 2018, both against the same periods in the previous year, 17 of the 27 Federation Units recorded decrease, the main highlights being Mato Grosso (from 11.0% to 2.3%), Alagoas (from 8.1% to 0.8%) and Pernambuco (from 5.7% to -1.3%). Roraima had the biggest increase between the two periods (from -6.5% to 9.9%).

As for extended retail, the first semester of 2018 recorded 5.8%, with advance in 25 of the 27 states, among which sttod out Espírito Santo (15.0%), Rondônia (13.4%) and Santa Catarina (13,0%). On the other hand, the biggest decrease in sales against 2017 figures came from the Federal District (-3.0%). From the passage of the second semester of 2017 to the fisrt semester of 2018, also most of the states presented reduction of rhythm in the volume of sales, reaching 18 of the 27 federation Units, the main highlights being Rio Grande do Sul (from 18.4% to 7.6%), Federal District (from 4.7% to -3.0%) and Alagoas (from 9.6% to 2.7%), whereas Roraima had the main increase between the two periods (from 2.6 % to 12.1%).