In March, retail trade recorded increase of 1.2% in sales and 1.4% in nominal revenue, both compared to the previous month...

In March, retail trade recorded increase of 1.2% in sales and 1.4% in nominal revenue, both compared to the previous month (seasonally adjusted figures). Considering volume and revenue of sales, these results present some improvement in relation to the rates of February. In other comparisons, obtained from the series without adjustment, retail recorded, in terms of Sales volume, hikes of 4.1% over March in the previous year; 6.9% accumulated in the quarter and 9.5% accumulated in the last 12 months. For the same indicators, the nominal revenue of sales had change rates of 8.5%, 11.6% and 13.5%, respectively.

The complete publication of this survey is available at www.ibge.gov.br/home/estatistica/indicadores/comercio/pmc/.

Compared to March 2010, 20 out of the 27 Federation Units recorded positive results

Twenty of the 27 Federation Units recorded positive results in the March 2011/March 2010 comparison, considering volume of sales. The highlights were: Tocantins (16.5%); Roraima (14.6%); Paraíba (11.0%); Maranhão (10.3); and Ceará (10.0%). As for participation in the formation of the retail trade rate, the highlights were: São Paulo (4.7%); Minas Gerais (8.5%); Rio de Janeiro (4.2%); Ceará (10.0%) and Rio Grande do Sul (2.1%).

In terms of extended retail trade, tem Federation Units recorded positive results, the biggest performance rates of volume of sales being those of: Roraima (13.8%); Espírito Santo (12.8%); Acre (8.9%); Tocantins (8.8%) and Mato Grosso (5.3%). In terms of results, the highlights are: Piauí (-13.2%); Sergipe (-10.8%); Federal District (-10.4%) and Rio Grande do Norte (-9.4%). In terms of impact on the overall result of the sector, the highlights were the states of São Paulo (-3.5%); Rio de Janeiro (-5.3%); Federal District (-10.4%); Bahia (-6.2%) and Pernambuco (-5.2%).

Concerning volume of sales, the seasonally adjusted results point to positive results in 17 states in the month/previous month comparison. The major changes were those of Piauí (5.8%); Alagoas (4.3%); Sergipe (3.8%); Espírito Santo (3.8%) and Rio de Janeiro (3.1%).

Retail trade decelerates when compared to Q4 2010

In terms of quarterly analysis, figures indicate deceleration of increase for volume of Sales, from the fourth quarter of 2010 to the first quarter of this year, with rate decrease from 9.6% to 6.9%. Deceleration is also observed in extended retail trade, the rate of which changed from 14.3% to 7.1%.

Among the ten activities surveyed, only construction material did not record acceleration of increase in the period analyzed, having changed from 13.5% in the fourth quarter of 2010 to 13.6% in the first quarter of 2011. The results of other segments were: vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces (from 23.8% to 6.4%); books, newspapers, magazines and stationery articles (from 21.7% to 9.6%); office, computer and communication material and equipment (from 20.0% to 13.9%); hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco (from 6.3% to 2.8%); other articles of personal and domestic use (from 9.4% to 6.0%); pharmaceutical, medical and orthopedic articles, toiletries and cosmetics (from 12.2% to 9.4%); furniture and household appliances (from 18.1% to 16.8%); textiles, apparel and footwear (from 9.9% to 9.6%) and fuels and lubricants (from 5.9% to 5.7%).

Eight activities recorded positive changes

In March, eight of the ten activities surveyed recorded positive results: vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces (3.8%); office, computer and communication material and equipment (3.5%); construction material (2.7%); furniture and household appliances (1.6%); books, newspapers, magazines and stationery articles (1.6%); other articles of personal and domestic use (1.4%); textiles, apparel and footwear (1.1%); hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco (1.0%); fuels and lubricants (-0.1%) and pharmaceutical, medical and orthopedic articles, toiletries and cosmetics (–0.1%).

Compared to figures in March 2010 (series without adjustment), there were increases in all the activities. In order of importance, changes were: furniture and household appliances (11.1%); hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco (1.5%); office, computer and communication material and equipment (18.2%); textiles, apparel and footwear (5.6%); pharmaceutical, medical and orthopedic articles, toiletries and cosmetics (5.5%); fuels and lubricants (2.7%); other articles of personal and domestic use (1.5%); books, newspapers, magazines and stationery articles (0.1%).

Furniture and household appliances, with change of 11.1% in volume of sales versus March last year, accounted for the main impact in the formation of retail trade rate (45%). This result, in spite of reflecting the favorable conditions of economy, has increased at levels below the rates of the last few months., what may be a consequence of the government’s macroprudential policies. The rate accumulated in the quarter was 16.8%, and in the last 12 months, 17.2%.

Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco, with change of 1.5% in volume of sales compared to figures in March 2010, accounted for the second major contribution to the overall rate (18%). Considering accumulated results, the rate for the first three months of the year was 2.8% and, for the last twelve months, 6.6%. For the third consecutive month, the sector has not accounted for the main contribution, possibly due to reduction of demand caused by the rise of food prices.

Office, computer and communication material and equipment, which accounted for the third major impact on the formation of the overall rate, recorded increase in volume of sales of about 18.2% versus the figure of March last year, a rate of 13.9% accumulated in the year and of 20.6% in the last 12 months. Among the factors that have contributed to this performance, the highlights are the fall of prices of this kind of item (-14.7% in the last 12 months for the sub-item personal computers in IPCA) and the growing importance that computer and communication products have had in the consumer habits of families.

Extended retail increased 1.7%

Extended retail trade, which includes retail trade and the activities vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces and construction material, recorded, versus the previous month (with seasonal adjustment),  increase in both volume of sales and nominal revenue, with 1.7% and 2.5%, respectively. Compared to March 2010 without seasonal adjustment), there were changes of -2.5% in volume of sales, and 0.8% in nominal revenue. Considering the indexes accumulated in the year and in the last 12 months, the sector recorded change rates of 7.1% and 10.2% for volume and of 10.3% and 13.4% for nominal revenue of sales, respectively.

With reference to volume of sales, the activity vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces recorded hike of 3.8%, in relation to February, making up, that way, the negative scenario of the two previous months. This result contrasts with the government’s macroprudential measures (in order to stop consumption) of December 2010. Compared to March the previous year, there was change of -12.8%, the first negative result of the last six months, probably caused by a base effect. In terms of accumulated terms, the changes were: 6.4% in the quarter and 10.7% in the last 12 months. As for construction material, the changes for volume of sales were:  2.7% over the previous month, of 6.4% versus March 2010 and 13.6% and 15.3% accumulated in the quarter and in the last 12 months, respectively.