Retail trade sales increase for the eighth consecutive month. Figures accumulated in the year for sales and revenue in relation to the previous month are 6.4% and 9.7%, respectively (seasonally adjusted series).

Retail trade sales increase for the eighth consecutive month. Figures accumulated in the year for sales and revenue in relation to the previous month are 6.4% and 9.7%, respectively (seasonally adjusted series).  

In August, retail trade sales changed by 0.7% and revenue increased by 1.3%, in relation to July (seasonally adjusted series). The increase rates accumulated in the year were 6.4% and 9.7%, respectively. In relation to August 2006, in the series without adjustment, the volume of sales increased by 9.9% in August, by 9.7% in the year and by 9.0% in the last twelve months. Nominal revenue increased by 13.2% in August, by 11.0% in the year and by 9.9% in the last twelve months.    

In the seasonally adjusted series, retail trade results increased in relation to the previous month, for the eighth consecutive time, and kept the trend observed by the evolution of the quarterly moving average of the fixed-base indicator. The results for volume of sales were: -0.5% for Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco; 1.2% for Fuels and lubricants; 4.6% for Textiles, apparel and footwear; 4.7% for Furniture and household appliances. In the same comparison, the activity Vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces, which is part of extended retail trade, changed by 4.2%.

In comparison with August 2006, the volume of sales of all retail trade activities increased; theirs rates, in order of relevance to the overall result, were: 6.4% for Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco;  16.8% for Furniture and household appliances;  19.5% for Other articles for personal and domestic use; 13.0% for Textiles, apparel and footwear; 10.7% for Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic and perfumery articles; 35.0% for Office and computer material and equipment; 3.6% for Fuels and lubricant; and 13.4% for Books, newspaper, magazines and stationery articles.

In August, once more as the major contribution to the overall results, the volume of sales of Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco increased by 6.4% compared to the same month in the previous year, accounting, therefore, for 34% of the retail trade rate. The activity accumulated rates of 6.6% and 7.2% in the year and in the last twelve months, respectively. This performance remains reflecting the increase of the population’s purchasing power, which results, mainly, from the increased volume of salaries. This happened in spite of food products, whose price rose in the quarter June/August and, according to IPCA, resulted in changed of 5.0% for the group meals taken in the household.

In August, the activity of Furniture and household appliances accounted for the main impact on the result of retail trade, and reached a rate of 16.8% for volume of sales compared to the figure in August last year. With this performance, the activity represented 26% of the overall retail trade rate this month. The rates accumulated in the year and in the last twelve months were, respectively, 16.7% and 15.6%. The result is due to the continuation of favorable conditions to consumer credits, real income, employment and prices. 

The volume of sales for Other articles of personal and domestic use increased by 19.5% in relation to August 2006 and accounted for the third main impact to the formation of the retail trade rate (14% of the overall rate). Encompassing segments such as department stores, glasses shops, jewelry shops, sporting goods stores, toy stores, etc, this activity has also been influenced by the improvement of economy, and, especially, by the sales in the period approaching Father’s Days. As a consequence, the accumulated rates for this activity were 23.3% (year) and 22.2% (last twelve months).

The fourth main positive contribution to the overall result came from Textiles, apparel and footwear, whose volume of sales was influenced by Father’s Day and by the beginning of the spring-summer collection, together with a more stable economic scenario than that of last year. The accumulated rates were 10.5% in the year and 7.2% in the last 12 months.

The activity Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic and perfumery articles, which was the fifth major impact in terms of contribution to the overall rate, obtained a result of 10.7% compared to August 2006; the accumulated rates were 7.9%, in the year, and 6.4%, in the last twelve months. The increase of the volume of salaries and the diversity of products available in the market support the positive performance of the segment.

Office, computer and communication material and equipment, with the sixth major impact, increased in terms of volume of sales, in August, from 35.0% over the same month in the previous year; the rates accumulated in the year and in the last twelve months were, respectively, 25.2% and 23.8%. Among the factors which have determined this performance can be mentioned the growing importance of computer-related and communication goods in the basket of household consumption.

As the seventh most relevant impact to the result of retail trade, the activity Fuels and lubricants changed by 3.6% in the comparison August 07/August 06, and it was the eighth consecutive monthly increase rate. This behavior can be seen as a consequence of the stabilization of fuel prices in the last few months, associated to the improvement of the country’s economic conditions. In relation to the accumulated results, the changes were 5.1% for the period January-August and 1.5% for the last twelve months.  

The activity Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery articles accounted, once more, for the lowest contribution to the result of retail trade, even considering the increase by 13.4% in volume of sales over August 2006. The figures accumulated in the year and in the last twelve months were 7.5% and 5.2%, respectively.

For extended retail trade, which is formed by retail trade and the activities Vehicles, motorcycles, apparel and footwear and Construction material, the changes in relation to the same month in the previous year were 14.9% for volume of sales and 17.4% for nominal revenue. The figures accumulated in the year and in the last twelve months were 13.8% and 12.1% for volume of sales and 14.3% and 12.4% for nominal revenue, respectively.

The volume of sales of Vehicles and motorcycles, parts and pieces increased by 25.8% in relation to the same month in the previous year; it had accumulated rates of 23.4% in the year and of 19.5% in the last twelve months. The reduction of interest rates and the longer funding periods have been the main factors accounting for the expansion of sales this year. The activity Construction material increased by 10.2% in relation to August 2006; by 9.6% in the year and by 9.4% in the last twelve months. These results reflected the favorable conditions of economy and the official incentives to construction.

ANALYSIS BY AREA

In relation to august 2006, there were decreases in only four Federative Units: Roraima (-6.4%); Rondônia (-6.1%); Piauí (-3.5%) and Acre (-2.8%). The main hikes occurred in Mato Grosso (17.2%); Mato Grosso do Sul (13.8%); Alagoas (13.8%); São Paulo (13.4%) and Goiás (12.9%). The most relevant contributions to the overall rate came from São Paulo (13.4%); RS (8.9%); RJ (5.2%); Minas Gerais (5.7%); and Santa Catarina (10.9%).

In terms of extended retail trade, the highest rates for volume of sales were those of Rondônia (25.4%); Amapá (22.3%); Mato Grossos (20.6%); Goiás (20.4%); and Tocantins (19.5%). The main contributions to the overall result came from: São Paulo (17.0%); Minas Gerais (13.9%); RS (14.8%); Paraná (14.1%); and Santa Catarina (17.9%).

In relation to July, the volume of sales increased in 20 states and decreased in other seven ones. The main hikes occurred in Goiás (9.4%); Tocantins (6.3%); Amazonas (5.6%); Distrito Federal (5.0%); Paraíba (3.3%); and Mato Grosso do Sul (2.8%). The most relevant decreases occurred in Amapá (-6.4%); Roraima (-3.1%) and Pará (-2.5%).