In the same seasonally adjusted series, nominal revenue increased by 1.43%. The volume of trade sales increased in 26 of the 27 Federative Units

In April 2006, in comparison with March the retail trade in the country changed by 1.52% in terms of volume of sales and 1.43% in terms of nominal trade (seasonally adjusted results). In the other comparisons (without seasonal adjustment), the rates for volume of sales were 7.42% over April last year; 5.64% accumulated in the year and 5.055 accumulated in the last 12 months. The nominal revenue changed by 8.86% in relation to April 2005, 8.05% in terms of the comparison January-April/05 and 8.92% in terms of the rate accumulated in the last 12 months (Tables 1 and 2).

The rate of 1.52% for the volume of sales in April, in the seasonally adjusted series, points to acceleration in the rhythm of retail businesses in relation to March. Among the four seasonally adjusted activities (out of the eight forming the sector), three had hikes, and only one fall: Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco (0.67%); Furniture and household appliances (2.30%); Textiles, apparel and footwear (2.62%) and Fuels and lubricants (-2.28%). The segment Vehicles, motorcycles, parts and accessories, which belongs to extended retail trade, grew by 1.02% over the previous month.

In the comparison April 06/April 05, there was growth in six of the eight retail trade activities: Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco (14.10%); Other articles for personal and domestic use (19.4%); Furniture and household appliances (2.79%); Office, computer and communication equipment (16.57%); Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic and perfumery articles (1.93%); Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery articles (4.16%). Falls were registered for Fuels and lubricants (-10.99%) and Textiles, apparel and footwear (-3.20%).

In April, the activity Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco grew by 14.10% in relation to April 05, according to IBGE’s Monthly Employment Survey. This result, the highest for this activity in the year, is also justified by the base-effect caused by the change of the date for the celebration of Easter’s, from March, in 2005 to April, in 2006. Once this segment is the main item in the Monthly Employment Survey, it determines the composition of the overall rate of this sector. The volume of sales accumulated in the year grew by 7.40% over the same preiod in 2005, having accumulated 4.23% in the last 12 months.

The volume of sales of the activity Other articles for personal and domestic use grew by 19.40% in relation to April 2005, due to the Easter’s sales in department stores. The accumulated rates were 14.24% and 14.82%, in the year and in the last 12 months, respectively.

In April, the segment Furniture and household appliances was the third major impact on the result of Retail Trade: 2.79% of the volume of sales in comaprison with April 2005. it was the least significant change since september 2003, even with the existence of favourable credit conditions and of loans charged through salary accounts.  This result is partially explained by the high performance of sales in April 2005 (23.99%), the highest thay year. The rate accumulated in the first four months of 2006, compared to the same period in the preious year, was 8.85%; in the last twelve months, it was 12.81%.

The volume of sales of the activity Office, computer and communication equipment increased by 16.57% over the same month last year. It is important to notice that this activity has been extremely influenced by the higher value of the real, which has been following a tendency to stability in the last few months. It is also worth mentioning that the latest results were influenced by the basis of comparison. The rates accumulated in the year and in the last 12 months were 43.31% and 56.99%, respectively.

The volume of sales of the activity Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic and perfumery articles grew by 1.93% in relation to the same period in the previous year, and was the fifth highest biggest impact on the overall rate of retail trade. In the year and in the last 12 months, the rates were respectively, 4.72% and 6.86%.

Still referring to the comparison April 06/April 05, the volume of sales of the activity Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery articles changed by 4.16%, having a slight effect on the overall result for retail trade. The result accumulated in the year fell (-0.37%); in the last 12 months, there was increase (0.46%).

Other positive results, relative to volume of sales, were those of Textiles, apparel and footwear with decrease of -3.20%, and of Fuels and lubricants (-10.99%). In terms of accumulated rates, the changes for Textiles, apparel and footwear reached 2.63% in the first four months of the year, and 5.17% in the last 12 months. Concerning Fuels and lubricants, the rates are -8.95% and -8.13%, respectively accumulated in the year and in the last 12 months.

Volume of sales increased in 26 Federative Units, in relation to April 2005

The volume of sales increased in 26 of the 27 Federative Units, in the comparison April 06/April 05, with the highest rates being registred in Roraima (39.32%); Amapá (16.05%); Amazonas (15.87%); Maranhão (14.13%) and Tocantins (13.67%). The only fall occurred in Mato Grosso (-11.97%). In terms of the participation in the composition of the Retail Trade rate, the highlights, in order, were: São Paulo (7.58%); Minas Gerais (11.33%); Rio de Janeiro (7.84%); Bahia (10.16%) and Santa Catarina (8.83%).

With seasonal adjustment in relation to March, the volume of sales increased in 23 states and fell in other 4. The highest hikes were registered in Roraima (12.00%0; Espírito Santo (9.20%); Pará (5.52%) and in the Federal District (4.78%). The falls occurred in Amapá (-6.11%); Tocantins (-5.90%); Sergipe (-1.75%) and Paraíba (-0.06%).

For Extended Retail Trade (retail trade and the activities Vehicles and motorcycles, parts and accessories), the rates in the comparison April 06/April 05 were 2.63% for the volume of sales and 4.21% for the nominal revenue of sales. The figures accumulated in the year and in the last 12 months were 3.56% and 2.97%, for the volume of sales and 6.15% and 7.40% for nominal trade, respectively.

The volume of sales of the activity Vehicles and motorcycles, parts and accessories fell (-5.20%) in relation to Apri/05. The rates accumulated in the year and in the last 12 months were 0.56% and 0.50%, respectively. The segment Construction Material has fallen again (-9.03%) over the figure of April 2005. The accumulated rates were -2.98% in the year and -5.67% in the last 12 months.

The highest rates for volume of sales for Extended Retail Trade were those of Roraima (21.90%); Maranhão (19.90%); Amapá (15.96%); Piauí (13.53%) and Acre (13.32%). The biggest impacts on the overall result came from Minas Gerais (7.22%); Rio de Janeiro (4.63%); Bahia (7.63%) and Santa Catarina (3.58%).