In February, the variation of the retail trade in the Country was 1.32% for the volume of sales and 7.71% for the nominal receipt, when compared to February 2004.

In February, the variation of the retail trade in the Country was 1.32% for the volume of sales and 7.71% for the nominal receipt, when compared to February 2004. Regarding the extended retail trade, the rates were 0.26% and 9.04%, respectively.

In the year, the volume of sales of the retail trade accumulates a rate of 3.84% and the nominal receipt, 10.39%. In the accumulated rate in twelve months, the variations were 8.95% for the volume of sales and 13.14% for the nominal receipt. Considering the extended retail trade, which includes besides the eight activities of the retail trade, Vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces and Construction material, the rates of the first two months of the year were 3.93% for the volume and 13.37% for the nominal receipt.

GRAPH 1

In the comparison with January 2005, which presented variations of 6.24% for the volume of sales and 12.96% for the nominal receipt, the results of the retail trade were lower. The comparison with February 2004 (a month with 29 days in that year), was influenced by the calendar effect, with one day and one weekend more.

Considering the volume of sales, the activities with major participation in the retail trade presented the following results when compared with February 2004: -0.22% for Hyper market, supermarket, food products, tobacco and beverages; -8.65% for Fuels and lubricants; 16.10% for Furniture and household appliances and –1.02% for Textiles, apparel and footwear. It can also be mentioned the activity Hyper markets, supermarkets, food products, beverage and tobacco which was influenced by the calendar effect mentioned above. With the facilities found in the consumer credit market (with discount in payroll, increase in the payment term) and increase of the overall wages, the activity Furniture and household appliances continues presenting in February a significant positive result. The performance of the economy in 2004, characterized by a relative stability, favored a major planning by the consumers. As in January, the segment presented the major accumulated change rate in twelve months (26.24%), as well as the major accumulated rate in the first two months of the year (17.93%), among the surveyed activities (Table 1).

Still in relation to the accumulated variations, the volume of sales of the activity Hyper markets, supermarkets, food products, beverage and tobacco increased 3.09% in the first two months of the year and 7.05% in the last twelve months. In the segment of Fuels and lubricants, the variations were –4.73% in the first two months of the year and 3.02%, in the last twelve months. Regarding Textiles, apparel and footwear the following results were observed: 1.63% in the accumulated index of the year and 5.22% in the accumulated index of the last twelve months.

In the comparison with February 2004, the other activities presented the following variations: 0.26% for pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic, perfumery and cosmetic articles; 33.78% for Equipment and materials for office material, computer equipment and communication; 4.56% for Books, newspapers, magazines and stationer’s shop; and 10.06% for Other articles for personal and domestic use. By its way, in the extended retail index, there was variation of–2.03% for Vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces and 0.03% for construction material.

Among the Federative Units, the six major results for retail trade in terms of volume of sales in relation to February 2004 were Rondônia (32.99%); Acre (25.11%); Sergipe (23.18%); Amazonas (21.98%); Paraíba (20.78%) and Maranhão (20.42%). Nevertheless, the states that more influenced positively the performance of the sector in February were the following: Pernambuco (15.76%); Santa Catarina (7.57%); Federal District (10.03%); Goiás (13.73%) and Amazonas (21.98%). Among the three states with major participation in the national trade, the only one that had a positive result was Rio de Janeiro (0.28%). São Paulo changed –3.88% and Minas Gerais, –1.91%.

Still in the comparison with February 2004, regarding the extended retail trade the results of the main states followed the same pattern of the performance of the retail trade: -6.00% in São Paulo; -4.19% in Minas Gerais; and 2.78% in Rio de Janeiro, being this last one influenced by the performance, above the average, in the activity of Vehicles, motorcycles parts and pieces (14.01%).