Both rates are compared to April 2008, in the seasonally adjusted series. In relation to May 2007, the volume of sales increased by 10.5%, accumulating 10.9% in the year and 10.3% in the last 12 months.

Both rates are compared to April 2008, in the seasonally adjusted series. In relation to May 2007, the volume of sales increased by 10.5%, accumulating 10.9% in the year and 10.3% in the last 12 months, whereas the nominal revenue of sales increased by 16.6%, accumulating 15.9% and 14.3%, respectively.

In May 2008, Retail Trade in the country kept its positive rates for volume of sales (0.6%) and nominal revenue (1.3%) compared to the previous month (seasonally adjusted figures). These results express slight acceleration in sales compared to April. In the original series (without adjustment) compared to May 2007, the volume of sales of national retail trade increased 10.5%, accumulating 10.9% in the year and 10.3% in 12 months, whereas nominal revenue increased 16.6%, accumulating15.9% and 14.3%, respectively.

RESULTS BY SUBSECTOR

In the seasonally adjusted series, there was increase of volume of sales in seven of the ten activities surveyed, whereas two others faced decline and one remained stable: Office, computer and communication material and equipment (5.1%); Other articles of persona and domestic use (2.0%); Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco (1.1%); Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic and perfumery articles and cosmetics (1.1%); Fuels and lubricants (0.8%); Construction material (0.7%); Furniture and household appliances (0.4%); Vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces (0.0%); Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery articles (-0.1%) and Textiles, apparel and footwear  (-1.0%) (Table 1).

In the comparison May 08/May 07 (series without adjustment), there was increase of the volume of sales in all the retail trade activities: 8.4% for Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco; 16.1% for Furniture and household appliances; 12.9% in Fuels and lubricants; 10.6% in Other articles of personal and domestic use; 12.9% in Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic and perfumery articles; 29.9% in Office, computer and communication material and equipment; 3.6% in Textiles, apparel and footwear and 9.9% in Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery articles.

Compared to the same month in the previous year, the subsector Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco, with change of 8.4% in volume of sales in May, was once again responsible for the biggest contribution to the overall rate of retail trade, accounting for 39% of it (Table 3). The results of this activity accumulated in the year and in the last 12 months increased by 6.8% and 6.5%, respectively. With the may result, the segment once more reaches the same level of performance as in the first three months of the year.

The activity Furniture and household appliances (16.1% in terms of volume of sales compared to May last year) represented the second main positive contribution to the performance rate of Retail Trade (25%). The figure accumulated in the year was 18.9%, and in the last 12 months, 16.5%. These results, positive and above the average of retail trade, are a consequence of the expansion of credit; the reduction of prices of electronic material and the improvement of the salary volume of the employed population.

The third major contribution to retail trade, in May, was that of Fuels and lubricants, with 12.9% of change in the volume of sales compared to May 2007, and accounting for 12% of the overall retail rate. The result accumulated in the year reached 7.4%, and, in the last 12 months, 5.9%. This can be seen as a consequence of the stability of fuel prices, associated to the improvement of the economic scenario in the country.

The activity Other articles of personal and domestic use, which encompasses department stores, glasses shops, jewelry shops, sporting goods, toys, etc, accounted for the major impact on the retail rate, with change of 10.6% in volume of sales compared to May 2007. This result, although significant, is, for the second time, significantly below those in the first quarter of the year; this time however, it is not under the influence of the base-effect, differently from what happened in the previous month. The figure accumulated in the year was 20.4%, and in the last 12 months, 21.4%.

Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic and perfumery articles, with the fifth major participation in the overall retail rate, presented increase of 12.9% compared to May last year, and accumulated rates of 13.5% in the year and 11.9% in the last 12 months. The conditions of economy in general, the increase of the volume of salaries and of credits, more specifically, together with the increase of sales of generic products, were the main factor accounting for the positive performance of this segment.

In Office, computer and communication material and equipment, the sixth biggest impact on the overall rate, the volume of sales in May increased by 29.9% compared to the same month in the previous year, with accumulated figures of 28.8%, in the year, and 31.9%, in the last 12 months. This activity had the highest level of increase in the month. This performance resulted, to a certain extent, from the reduction of prices of products in this group, credit benefits and the growing importance of computer and communication goods in the consumption habits of Brazilian families.

Textiles, apparel and footwear (3.6% compared to the same month in the previous year) accounted for the seventh major contribution to the overall retail rate. Despite the influence of Mother’s day on the sales of this subsector, its result was lower than that of retail trade and extremely below the figure in April (19.75), indicating the occurrence of sales for this festivity in advance. The figures accumulated in the year and in the last 12 months were, respectively, 11.9% and 11.8%.

The activity Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery articles (9.9%) accounted, once more, for the main contribution to the retail result. The rate accumulated in the year was 11.1%; in the last 12 months, it was 9.7%.

The volume of sales of Extended retail trade increased 0.8% in relation to the previous month, and its nominal revenue increased 0.6% in the series with seasonal adjustment. Compared to May in the previous year (without seasonal adjustment), the volume of sales increased 11.3%, and nominal revenue, 16.5%. In terms of the index accumulated in the year and in 12 months, the rates were 14.3% and 14.1% for volume of sales and 18.7% and 17.6% for nominal revenue of sales, respectively.

The volume of sales of the activity Vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces increased 14.0% compared to May 2007, accumulating, in the year, and in the last 12 months, changes of 21.4% and 22.6%, respectively. As a consequence, the activity still represents the main contribution to the overall rate of extended retail trade (40%). The reduction of interest rates, the expansion of financing periods and the positive expectations concerning employment are the main factors accounting for the increase of sales in this subsector.

As for Construction material, the changes were 6.3% in the comparison May 08/May 07 and 11.5% accumulated in the year and 11.6% in the last 12 months. This performance results from the favorable economic scenario, especially in what concerns credits, salaries and incentive to construction.

RESULTS BY AREA

Among the 27 Federative Units, only three faced decreases in relation to May 2007: Sergipe (-0.7%); Pará (-1.1%) and Amazonas (-1.4%). The highlights in terms of volume of sales were Goiás (15.8%); Rio Grande do Norte (15.5%); São Paulo (14.8%); Mato Grosso (13.8%); Espírito Santo (12.8%) and Mato Grosso do Sul (12.3%) (Graph 3). The main contributions to the Retail Trade rate came from São Paulo (14.8%); Rio de Janeiro (6.7%); Minas Gerais (9,1%); Rio Grande do Sul (9.1%) and Bahia (9.0%).

In retail trade, the highest rates of volume of Retail Trade sales were those of Espírito Santo (25.6%); Acre (19.9%); Goiás (19.3%); Mato Grosso (15.0%) and Rondônia (14.5%). The main contributions to the overall results came from São Paulo (13.5%); RS (11.1%); Minas Gerais (8.9%); Rio de Janeiro (7.0%) and Paraná (10.5%).

Also with reference to Federative Units, in the results with seasonal adjustment, there were four instances of decline in relation to the previous month: Amapá (-1.9%); Sergipe (-0.8%); Paraná (-0.5%) and Tocantins (-0.2%). The main hikes occurred in Roraima (12.2%); Paraíba (29%); Goiás (2.4%); Rio Grande do Norte (2.3%) and Alagoas (2.3%).