In August, the volume of sales of retail trade increased by 1.1% and nominal revenue, by 1.2%, both compared to the previous month (seasonally adjusted results). In the other comparisons,  obtained from the original series (without adjustment), the volume of sales increased by 9.8% compared to August 2007, 10.6%  considering the figure accumulated in the first eight months of the year and 10.2% considering the figure accumulated in the last 12 months. For the same indicators, the change rates of nominal revenue of sales were 16.5%, 16.4% and 15.3%, respectively.

In the seasonally adjusted series, six of the ten activities surveyed had positive changes in volume of sales: Office, computer and communication material and equipment (3.2%); Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco (1.1%); Furniture and household appliances (1.0%); Textiles, apparel and footwear (0.7%); Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic and perfumery articles and cosmetics (0.4%); and Fuels and lubricants (0.3%). The negative changes occurred in Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery articles (-1.0%); Other articles of personal and domestic uses (-1.3%); Construction material (-1.6%) and Vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces (-3.7%).

In the August 08/August 07 comparison (series without adjustment), all the retail activities had increases in volume of sales: 7.8% in Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco; 13.1% in  Furniture and household appliances; 14.9% in Other articles of personal and domestic use; 11.7% in Fuels and lubricants; 33.7% in Office, computer and communication material and equipment; 8.7% in Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic and perfumery articles; 4.3% in Textiles, apparel and footwear; and 5.3% in Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery articles.  

In the August 08/August 07 comparison, the activity Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco, with change of 7.8% in the volume of sales, is once more responsible for the biggest contribution to the overall retail rate (38%). This result, although below the usual retail figure, expresses a trend to recovery of the segment when compared to the two previous months; this difference may be reflecting the end of the effects of inflation over the consumption of food products. The results for the indexes accumulated in the first eight months of the year and in the last 12 months were 6.1% for both indicators. 

The activity Furniture and household appliances, with increase of 13.1% in volume of sales compared to August last year, was the second major contribution to retail trade and accounted for 22% of the rate. In terms of the figure accumulated in the year, the rate was 17.9%, and, in the last 12 months, 16.3%. The results were above the average established in retail, which can be seen as a consequence: expansion of credit; improvement of the employed population salary volume and fall of prices of electronic goods.

Other articles of personal and domestic use, the activity which encompasses department stores, glasses shops, jewelry shops, sporting goods stores, toy stores, etc, was the third major contribution to the retail trade rate, with change of 14.9% in volume of sales compared to August 2007, and accounting for 13.0% of the overall rate. This subsector is still being affected by the overall scenario of economy, especially in August, due to the celebration of Father’s Day. The indexes accumulated in the first eight months of the year and in the last 12 months were 20.6% and 20.8%, respectively.

The four major contribution to the positive result of retail came from Fuels and lubricants, with 11.7% of change in volume of sales and 13.0% of participation in the overall retail trade rate. The indexes accumulated in the year and in the last 12 months were 9.6% and 8.0%, respectively.

Office, computer and communication material and equipment was the fifth major contribution to the overall rate, with increase of 33.7% in volume of sales in the August 08/August 07 comparison, and accumulated rates of 31.3% in the year 33.0% in the last 12 months. This activity presented the the highest level of increase in monthly and accumulated indicators.

The activity Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic and perfumery articles, representing the sixth major contribution to the overall retail rate, increased by 8.7% compared to results in August last year, and had accumulated rates of 12.5%, in the year, and of 11.9%, in the last twelve months.

Textiles, apparel and footwear, with increase of volume of sales by 4.3% compared to the same month in the previous year, was the seventh major contribution to the overall retail trade rate. This result is due, mainly, to a stabilization of sales of the segment, once the South and Southeast Regions (both with significant participation in the survey) faced very harsh weather in winter. In terms of accumulated figures, the results were 10.2% and 10.4% for the indexes accumulated in the year and in 12 months, respectively.

Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery articles, with increase of 5.3%, accounted, once more, for the lowest contribution to the retail trade result. The rate accumulated in the year changed by 10.6%, and in the one accumulated in the last twelve months, by 9.4%.

Extended retail trade faced decrease in relation to the previous month, with -1.6% for volume of sales and -0.7% for nominal revenue, both rates with seasonal adjustment. Compared to the same month in 2007 (without seasonal adjustment), the changes were 7.0% for volume of sales and 12.6% for nominal revenue. Considering the indexes accumulated in the year and in the last 12 months, the subsector had change rates of 13.5% and 13.4% for volume of sales and 18.7% and 17.9% for nominal revenue of sales, respectively.

In the August 08/August 07 comparison, the activity Vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces had increase of 2.9% in the volume of sales, accumulating in the year and in the last twelve month, changes of 19.8% and 20.3%, respectively. With this significant deceleration of the monthly result, the activity moved from the first to the third position in terms of contribution to the overall extended retail trade rate (14.2%). This indicates stabilization, after 19 months of increase with two-digit rates.

Construction material, with rate of 2.4% in the August 08/August 07 comparison, also presented stabilization, after the significant increase occurred in the last few months. In terms of accumulated results, the changes in volume of sales were 11.0%, for the index accumulated in the year, and 11.6%, for the index accumulated in the last twelve months.

RESULTS BY AREA

Among the 27 Federative Units, only Amazonas had negative results (-1.3%) in the August 08/August 07 comparison. The most significant were observed in: Rondônia (23.3%); Roraima (20.9%); Paraíba (18.2%); São Paulo (13.9%); Maranhão (11.9%) and Amapá (11.2%) – Graph 3. In terms of participation in the formation of the overall rate, the highlights were: São Paulo (13.9%); Rio de Janeiro (6.3%); Minas Gerais (7.3%); Paraná (9.5%) and Rio Grande do Sul (6.6%).

In relation to extended retail, the highest performance rates of volume of sales occurred in Espírito Santo (22.9%); Roraima (18.5%); Mato Grosso (16.1%); Rondônia (14.0%); and Paraíba (13.3%). Considering the impacts on the overall result of this activity, the highlights were the states of São Paulo (7.8%); Paraná (10.0%); Espírito Santo (22.9%); Rio Grande do Sul (6.0%) and Rio de Janeiro (3.7%). In the month/previous month comparison, the seasonally adjusted results for volume of sales had 19 states with positive change: Rondônia (5.3%); Roraima (4.0%); Paraíba (3.8%) and Paraná (2.5%).