These results represent the ninth consecutive increase, compared to figures in the previous month.  In the quarter, the volume of sales increased by 9.3%, a little less than in the previous quarter (9.9%). In comparison with September 2006, sales increased by 8.5%, and the accumulated rates increased by 9.6% (year) and 8.9% (12 months). The equivalent results for nominal revenue were 12.2%, 11.2% and 10.0%, respectively.

In September, Retail Trade in the country had one more positive result: in relation to August, the volume of sales increased by 1.4%, and nominal trade, by 1.7%. It was the ninth consecutive increase in comparison with the previous month, in the seasonally adjusted series. The accumulated figures for volume and revenue in these nine months are 8.5% and 12.2%, respectively. In the other comparisons, the volume of sales increased by 8.5% compared to September 2006; by 9.6%, considering the rate accumulated in the period Jan-Sep, compared to the equivalent period in 2006; and 8.9% accumulated in the last 12 months. The respective figures for the increase of nominal trade were 12.2%, 11.2% and 10.0% (Tables 1 and 2).

Two of the five seasonally adjusted activities increased in relation to September: Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco, with changes of 3.0% and 3.4%, respectively, for volume of sales and nominal revenue of sales, and Furniture and household appliances (with 0.1% and 1.2%). There were decreases in Fuels and lubricants (-0.4% and -1.2%); Textiles, apparel and footwear (-2.1% and -0.4%); and Vehicles and motorcycles, parts and pieces (-1.1% and -0.1%) (Table 1). The segment with the highest level of expansion in the year was Furniture and household articles (20.1% in terms of volume and 21.0% in terms of revenue), followed by Vehicles and motorcycles, parts and pieces (15.8% and 20.5%); Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco (7.5% and 15.9%); Textiles, apparel and footwear (6.4% and 9.8%); and Fuels and lubricants (1.9% and 1.3%).

In relation to September 2006, all the activities of retail trade had hikes in terms of volume of sales, whose rates, by order of importance to the overall result, were: 6.2% for Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco; 12.7% for Furniture and household articles; 20.0% for Other articles of personal and domestic use; 6.9% for Textiles, apparel and footwear; 9.4% for Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic and perfumery articles and cosmetics; 30.4% for Office, computer and communication material and equipment; and 4.8% for Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery articles (Table 1).

RESULTS BY ACTIVITY

The activity Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco, even after having a result below average (6.2% for volume of sales in September compared to the same month in  the previous year) accounted for the main contribution (37%) of the overall retail trade rate. In accumulated terms, the activity had increase of 6.6% and of 6.8% in the year and in the last twelve months, respectively. This performance reflects the higher purchasing power of the population and the expansion of credit, especially concerning the use of credit cards sponsored by companies of this same activity.

The activity Furniture and household appliances, with change of 12.7% in volume of sales compared to September last year, caused the second major impact on the performance of retail trade, being responsible for 22% of it (Table 3). In terms of accumulated results, the segment increased by 16.3% in the year, compared to the equivalent period in 2006, and by 15.0%, in the last 12 months. This result, which is above the average of the sector, is due to the expansion of credit, fall of prices and improvement of salaries of the employed population.

The volume of sales of the activity Other articles of personal and domestic use, the third major impact on retail trade, increased by 20.0% in relation to September 2006 and accounted by 17% of the overall rate. Encompassing department stores, glasses shops, sporting goods stores, toy stores and others, this activity has been influenced by the improvement of the economic scenario. Its rates accumulated in the year and in the last twelve months are, respectively, 23.4% and 22.1%, and it has remained, in 2007, with the second major increase in volume of sales.

The fourth main contribution for the result of retail trade, in September, was that of Textiles, apparel and footwear, whose volume of sales increased by 6.9% in relation to the previous month. This rate of performance, however, was below the average of retail trade. In August, on the other hand, the increase reached 13.0%, as a consequence of the celebration of Father’s Day and by the start of the spring-summer clothing collection. In terms of accumulated rates, the activity had levels of change of 10.1% for the first nine months of 2007, compared to the same period in 2006, and of 7.6%, for the last 12 months.

The activity Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic and perfumery articles, which was the main one in retail trade, increased by 9.4% in comparison with September 2006, and had accumulated rates of 8.1% in the year and 6.8% in the last 12 months. The expansion of salary mass and the diversity of products traded are the main factors accounting for the positive performance of this activity.

The sixth main contribution to volume of retail sales came from Fuels and lubricants, which, with rate of 4.0% in relation to September 2006, had its ninth consecutive monthly increase, after two years of negative results, and accumulated rates of 5.0% in the year and 2.5% in the last 12 months. This behavior can be seen as a consequence of the fall of fuel prices (-4.0% in the last 12 months, according to IPCA), together with the improvement of economic conditions of the country.

The segment Office, computer and communication material and equipment was the most relevant activity in terms of increase in the year and accounted for the seventh most relevant impact on retail trade, with increase of volume of sales of 30.4% compared to the same month in 2006. The rates accumulated in the year and in the last twelve months were, respectively, 25.9% and 24.3%. This performance is due to the fall of prices, the better possibilities for financing and the increasing participation of computer and communication -related programs in the consumption habits of families.

The activity Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery articles was, once more, the lowest influence over retail trade, with increase in volume of sales of 4.8% over September 2006. The rates accumulated in the year and in the last twelve months were 7.1% and 5.1%, respectively.

For extended retail trade (retail and the activities Vehicles, motorcycles, apparel and footwear and Construction material), in relation to the same month of 2006, the volume of sales increased by 11.9% and revenue, by 15.0%. In terms of indexes accumulated in the month and in the last 12 months, respectively, the sectors increased by 13.6% and 12.2%, in terms of volume of sales and 14.4$ and 12.8%, in terms of nominal revenue.

The volume of sales of Vehicles, motorcycles, apparel and footwear increased by 19.8% in relation to August 2006, having accumulated 22.9% in the year and 20.2% in the last twelve months. These results reflect the decrease of interests and the increase of the financing period. The changes in Construction material were 9.1% in relation to September 2006, 9.6% in the year and 9.1% in the last 12 months, due to the favorable conditions of the economy and the incentives to construction.

RESULTS BY AREA

In relation to September 2006, there were falls in four states: Roraima (-12.2%); Rondônia (-8.6%); Acre (-6.5%); and Piauí (-2.2%). The main hikes occurred in Alagoas (16,5%); Mato Grosso do Sul (14.7%); Mato Grosso (13.4%); São Paulo (13,1%) and Maranhão (12.2%). The major levels of participation in retail trade rate were São Paulo (13.1%); Rio de Janeiro (3.9%); Minas Gerais (4.2%); Bahia (9.1%); and Paraná (6.2%).

In relation to extended retail trade, the highest volume of sales were those of Mato Grosso do Sul (22.7%); Tocantins (22.4%); Amapá (21.1%); Alagoas (18.7%); and Maranhão (17.7%); the main impacts over the overall rate occurred in São Paulo (13.6%); Paraná (15.0%); Minas Gerais (8.5%); Rio de Janeiro (6,6%); and Santa Catarina (15.1%).

Compared to the previous month the seasonally adjusted volume of sales increased in 22 states and fell in 5, being the main increases those which occurred in Maranhão (5.7%); Alagoas (3.5%); Piauí (2.7%); Amapá (2.4%); and in Rio Grande do Sul (2.2%). The main falls were those in Sergipe (-1.3%) and Mato Grosso (-0.8%).

In the comparison by quarter, there was slight deceleration of retail trade

The increase of the volume of sales has faced slight deceleration from the second to the third quarter of the year, both in terms of Retail Trade (from 9.9% to 9.3%) and of Extended Retail Trade (from 15.4% to 13.5%, as shown in Table 4).

In the third quarter of the year, there was reduction of rhythm in six of the ten activities surveyed: Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco (from 6.8% of change in the second quarter to 5.7% in the third one); Fuels and lubricants (from 6.1% to 4.3%); Textiles, apparel and footwear (from 12.6% to 10.1%); Other articles of personal and domestic use (from 25.6% to 22.8%); Vehicles and motorcycles, parts and pieces (from 28.5% to 22.9%) and Construction material (from 13.2% to 9.4%).

With increase of the rhythm of increase of volume of sales are: Furniture and household appliances, with 13.0% of change in the second quarter and by 16.0% in the third one; Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic and perfumery articles and cosmetics (from 8.7% to 10.1%); Office, computer and communication material and equipment (from 23.4% to 33.2%); and Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery articles (from 7.9% to 8.8%).