In May 2015, Retail Trade in the country changed by -0.9% in terms of volume of sales, versus the rate in the previous month. This seasonally-adjusted result is the fourth in a sequence of negative monthly results. In the same comparison, nominal revenue remained unchanged (0.0%). As for the quarterly moving average index, volume of sales recorded a change of -0.8%, whereas revenue had a rate of -0.2%. In the other comparisons, obtained from the original series (without adjustment), national retail trade recorded, in terms of sales volume, decrease of 4.5% versus May last year, with cumulative changes of -2.0% in the year and -0.5% in the last 12 months. For the same indicators, nominal revenue of sales recorded changes of 1.9%, 4.1% and 5.7%, respectively.
Extended retail trade , which includes retail trade and the activities of Vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces and Construction material , recorded decrease of -1.8% in comparison with the previous month. It was the sixth negative result in a row, in the seasonally adjusted series. Nominal revenue, once mre, recorded a negative change, -0.9%. Versus the same month a year ago, there were changes of -10.4% for volume and of -4.2% for nominal revenue of sales. The cumulative figures were -7.0%, in the year, and -5.0%, in the last 12 months, for volume of sales, and -1.1% and 0.8% for nominal revenue, respectively. The complete publication is available here.

Seven of the ten activities surveyed recorded negative changes

In May, seven of the ten activities investigated in the survey recorded negative results for volume of sales, in the month-on-monthcomparison with seasonal adjustment. The negative rates were: -0.1% for Fuels and lubricants; -0.4% for Pharmaceuticals, medical and orthopedic articles, toiletries and cosmetics; -1.1% for Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco; -2.1% for Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery; -2.1% for Furniture and household appliances; -3.8% for Construction material; and -4.6% for Vehicles and motorcycles, parts and pieces. The activities with positive results were Office, computer and communication material and equipment, with 5.5%; Fabric, apparel and footwear, with 2.7%; and Other personal and household articles, with 1.7%.

In the May 2015/May 2014 comparison (seasonally-adjusted series), considering volume of sales, five of the eight activities recorded negative changes. In order of negative contribution to the overall rate (-4.5%), the results were: -18.5% for Furniture and household appliances; -2.1% for Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco; -7.7% for Fabric, apparel and footwear; -4.2% for Fuels and lubricants; and -11.8% for Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery. The activities Office, computer and communication material and equipment, with 0.3%; and Other personal and household articles, with 0.2%, exerted virtually no influence on the overall rate. Pharmaceuticals, medical and orthopedic articles, toiletries and cosmetics accounted for the positive impact on the retail trade result (1.8%).

The activity Furniture and household appliances, with a hange of -18.5% in volume of sales versus the May 2014 result, accounted for the biggest negative impact on the formation of the overall retail trade rate. This performance reflects not only the reduction of wage bill and the smaller pace of credit increase, but also the weak performance of sales due to the celebration of Mother's Day, in the May 2015/May 2014 comparison. The base effect is reinforced due to the rise of sales of television sets for the World Cup period. The cumulative rates in the year and in the last 12 months were, respectively, -10.9% and -6.1%.

The segment of Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco, with a rate of -2.1% in volume of sales in May 2015, versus the same month in the previous year, accounted for the biggest negative contribution to Retail Trade. In terms of cumulative results, the activity recorded a change of -1.6% in the year, and -0.9% in the last 12 months. This negative performance was influenced by the reduced purchasing power of the population, and also by the occurrence of minus one business day in May, versus the same period a year before, in spite of the below-average rise of food prices.

Fabric, apparel and footwear was responsible for the biggest negative participation in the formation of the overall retail trade index, with a change of -7.7% in comparison with the same month a year before. This type of activity which is usually positively influenced by the Mother's day celebration, recorded a negative and below-average result in May 2015. That happened despite the status of apparel prices, below the inflation rate (with changes of 3.4% and 8.5%, respectively, cumulative in the last 12 months, until May, according to IPCA). In terms of cumulative indexes, retraction was observed: -5.0% in the year and -2.8% in the last 12 months.

Fuels and lubricants recorded a rate of -4.2% in terms of volume of sales versus the May 2014 figure, accounting for the fourth biggest negative contribution to the overall retal trade rate. The cumulative increase rate in the year (-3.7%) and in the last 12 months (-1.1%), reflects the behavior of fuel prices, above average, with 9.2% of change in 12 months, against the 8.5% recorded by the overall index, according to IPCA.

The trade of Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery,which accounted for the biggest negative impact on the formation of the overall result, recorded a change in volume of sales of -11.8% versus May 2014, with cumulative rates in the year and in 12 months of, respectively, -8.6% and -9.5%. The downward trend of this activity has been influenced by the budget limitation of families, and, regarding books and newspapers, by the replacement of printed products for those in electronic media.

The activity Office, computer and communication material and equipment, with 0.3% had virtually no influence of the formation of the overall retail trade rate, in volume of sales, in comparison with May 2014. Cumulative results, changes of 10.7% in the year and of 3.2% in the last 12 months, resulted from the behavior of computer prices, one of the main items forming this activity.

Other personal and household articles, which encompasses department stores, glasses shops, jewelry stores, sporting good stores, etc., with a rate of 0.2%, did not represent any significant impact on the retail trade rate in termos of volume of sales, versus May 2014. The difference between May 2015 and May 2014 results (12.1% over May 2013) reflects the performance of the wage bill of employed persons and of credit, whose levels this year are below those of he previous one, consequently affecting the volume of sales for Mother's Day 2015. For the first five months of the year, the cumulative change was 4.4%, and for the last 12 months, 5.8%.

Pharmaceuticals, medical and orthopedic articles, toiletries and cosmetics , accounted for the only positive contribution to the overall retail rate, with 1.8% in the May 2015/May 2014 comparison, and cumulative rates in the year and in the last 12 months, of 5.0% and 6.8%, respectively. The above-average performance of this activity by sector can be seen as a result of the essential nature of its products and of the change in medicine prices below the overall index.

Extended retail falls 10.4% versus May 2014 figure

Extended retail trade, formed by retail trade and the activities of Vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces and Construction material, recorded for volume of sales, in the 2015/2014 comparison, a change of -10.4% and cumulative rates of -7.0% in the year and of -5.0% in twelve months. That occurred due to the negative performance of Vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces, whose interannual result was -22.2%, with cumulative rates of -17.3% in the year and -13.9% in 12 months. The decrease of sales in the segment resulted, among other factors, from the gradual decrease of incentives via IPI reduction, of the smaller pace of credit supply and of the budget limitations of families, given the decrease of the wage bill.

Construction material recorded decrease, in terms of volume of sales, of -11.3% versus the figure in May 2014. In relation to cumulative results, the rates were -5.7% in the year, and -3.6% in the last 12 months, reflecting the already mentioned decrease of earnings, together with negative expectations about the macroeconomic scenario.

Resultados do varejo foram negativos em 25 das 27 unidades da federação

In Retail Trade, among the 27 Federation Units, 25 recorded negative changes in volume of sales, in the May 2015/May 2014 comparison (series without adjustment), the main highlights being Paraíba, with -13.6%; Goiás (-12.6%); and Amazonas (-11.1%). As for the main negative contributions to the formation of retail trade rate, the changes were: -3.5%, in São Paulo; -9.6%, in Bahia; -4.0%, in Minas Gerais; and -3.0%, in Rio de Janeiro.

For volume of sales, in the seasonally-adjusted comparison between May 2015 and the previous month, Retail trade results were negative in 22 states, the main highlights being: Sergipe, with -3.9%; Amazonas (-3.1%); Rondônia (-2.7%); and Paraíba (-1.8%). The biggest positive rates occurred in Roraima (3.9%); Mato Grosso (1.6%); and Tocantins (1.5%).

In relation to Extended Retail Trade, 26 states registered negative results in terms of volume of sales, versus the same period a year before. The main results were: Espírito Santo (-21.7%); Rondônia (-17.7%); Acre (-17.6%); and Paraíba (-17.5%). As for the main negative contributions to the formation of extended retail trade, the changes were: -8.6%, in São Paulo; -13.7%, in Rio Grande do Sul; -8.1%, in Rio de Janeiro; -9.1%, in Minas Gerais; and -11.0%, in Paraná.