Both rates were compared with January, in the seasonally adjusted series. The positive result, for the second consecutive month, expresses a more consistent growth in the sales rhythm. In comparison to February 2009, the volume of sales and the nominal revenue of retail trade increased 12.3% and 15.3%, respectively. In the first quarter, these indicators recorded rises of 11.3% and 13.9%. In the last 12 months, volume and revenue accumulated increases of 6.0% and 10.5%.

As to Extended Retail Trade, from January to February there were increases of 2.1% for volume of sales and 2.5% for nominal revenue. In comparison with the same month of the previous year (without seasonal adjustment), variations were 13.6% for volume of sales and 15.7% for nominal revenue. In the two-month period, results were 19.7% for volume and 13.6% for revenue. In the accumulated of the last 12 months, the sector presented variation rates of 8.3% and 9.0% for volume and nominal revenue of sales, respectively.

In this second month of the year, eight of the 10 surveyed activities obtained positive results for the seasonally adjusted volume of sales (month/month indicator). By order of relevance of rates, results were positive for: Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic and perfumery articles and cosmetics (3.9%); Textiles, apparel and footwear (3.4%); Hypermarket, supermarket, food products, beverages and tobacco (3.0%); Construction material (2.8%); Vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces (2.5%); Other articles of personal and domestic use (1.6%); Furniture and household appliances (1.2%); Fuels and lubricants (1.0%); Office, computer and communication material and equipment (-0.8%); and Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery articles (-2.2%).

In the relation February 10/February 09 (series without adjustment), all retail activities obtained positive results in volume of sales, by order of importance in the overall result: 11.5% for Hypermarket, supermarket, food products, beverages and tobacco; 22.2% for Furniture and household appliances; 15.5% for Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic and perfumery articles and cosmetics; 11.8% for Textiles, apparel and footwear; 4.8% for Fuels and lubricants; 5.1% for Other articles of personal and domestic use; 18.8% for Office, computer and communication material and equipment; and 10.7% for Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery articles.

RESULTS BY SECTOR

The segment Hypermarket, supermarket, food products, beverages and tobacco, with an 11.5% variation in volume of sales in February against the same month of the previous year, was responsible for the main contribution (47.8%) of retail trade overall rate. In terms of the accumulated in the last 12 months, the activity presents a 9.1% increase. This performance was motivated by the increased purchasing power of the population, due to the increased real income earned by salaried workers (6.3% against February 2009, according to PME). Price stability of food products in the last months also contributed to the activity growth (2.7% in the group Feeding in the Household, in the last 12 months, against 4.8% of the General Index, according to IPCA).

The activity Furniture and household appliances, with a 22.2% variation in volume of sales in relation to February of last year, recorded the second major impact in the formation of retail rate (27.4%). This result must be attributed to IPI reduction of the white line, as well as to the credit supply that gradually reaches the level before the financial crisis. In the accumulated of the last 12 months, the variation was 4.8%.

The activity Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic and perfumery articles, with the third major participation in overall retail rate, presented a 15.5% growth in comparison with February 2009 and accumulated rate in the last 12 months of 12.1%. The expansion of salary volume, as seen above, and the diversification in commercialized products line are the main factors that explain the positive performance of the segment.

The segment Textiles, apparel and footwear, responsible for the fourth major impact on the formation of the overall rate (5.8%) obtained increased volume of sales in February, of the order of 11.8% over the same month of last year, and an accumulated rate in the last 12 months of -1.2%. This result shows a better performance of the activity, even with the sector’s upward trend of prices (variation of 6.1% in the group Apparel, compared to the general index of 4.8%, according to IPCA) during the last 12 months.

The segment Fuels and lubricants, with a 4.8% variation in volume of  sales in the relation February 10/February 09, this month accounted for the fifth major contribution to the overall retail rate. In terms of accumulated performance, the change rate reached 1.2% in the last 12 months. This behavior is attributed to the rise of alcohol prices (29.3% variation in the last 12 months – sub item Alcohol of item Fuels of IPCA).

The activity Other articles of personal and domestic use, with the sixth major impact on the formation of retail rate, obtained a 5.1% variation in volume of sales, in relation to February 2009, being responsible for 3.5% of the general rate. The segment, which is formed by department stores, opticians, jewelry shops, sporting goods stores, toy stores, etc., has been influenced by the general recovery of economy. The rate accumulated in the last 12 months was of the order of 8.1%.

The segment Office, computer and communication material and equipment, responsible for the seventh major impact on the formation of overall rate, obtained increased volume of sales, in February, of the order of 18.8% over the same period of last year and an accumulated rate of 12.3% in the last 12 months. Among the factors determining this performance, the highlights are the price reduction of such products (-7.2% in the last 12 months for the sub item microcomputer at IPCA) and the growing importance that computer and communication products have gained in the consumption habits of families.

The activity Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery articles, with reduced importance in the survey structure, exerted the smallest positive influence on the overall result of retail trade. In relation to February 2009, it presented increased volume of sales, of 10.7%, and accumulated rate of 8.7% for the last 12 months.

EXTENDED RETAIL TRADE

The Extended Retail Trade, which includes retail trade plus the activities Vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces and Construction material, recorded in relation to the previous month growth of 2.1% for volume of sales and of 2.5% for nominal revenue, both rates with seasonal adjustment. Compared to the same month of the previous year (without seasonal adjustment), variations were 13.6% for volume of sales and 15.7% for nominal revenue. In the accumulated of the last 12 months, the sector presented change rates of 8.3% and 9.0% for volume of sales and nominal revenue, respectively.

In relation to volume of sales, Vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces recorded an expansion of 2.5% in relation to January and 16.0% over February 2009, accumulating, in the last 12 months, a 13.1%variation. Government incentive by means of IPI reduction for new cars was the main factor for the activity growth.

As to Construction material, variations for volume of sales were 2.8% over the previous month, 15.1% in relation to February 2009 and -3.2% in the accumulated in the last 12 months. It is the fourth consecutive rise of the activity, perhaps signaling the recovery of the sector, as the 10 first months of 2009 were 10 negative results. The increasing trust of economic agents on the recovery of economy, besides government incentives (IPI reduction for a list of construction material) may explain such behavior.

RESULTS BY AREA

All the 27 Federation Units presented positive results for volume of sales, in the comparison February 10/February 09. The highlights were: Tocantins (41.5%); Rondônia (32.7%); Acre (24.8%); Mato Grosso (20.3%); Sergipe (18.5%); and Ceará (18.3%). As to participation in the rate formation of Retail Trade, the highlights were, in order, São Paulo (12.0%); Rio de Janeiro (10.8%); Minas Gerais (10.9%); Rio Grande do Sul (11.4%); Paraná (12.8%) and Santa Catarina (11.6%).

In relation to extended retail trade, the highest performance rates in volume of sales occurred in Rondônia (29.9%); Tocantins (16.6%); Espírito Santo (21.5%); Mato Grosso (20.4%) and Ceará (19.2%). In terms of impact on the overall result of the sector, the highlights were the states of São Paulo (14.3%); Minas Gerais (16.6%); Rio de Janeiro (10.0%); Rio Grande do Sul (11.3%); Paraná (11.8%) and Santa Catarina (12.%).

Still by Federation Unit, the seasonally adjusted results for volume of sales also show all the states with positive variation, in the comparison month/previous month. The biggest variations were in Tocantins (37.7%); Rondônia (12.5%); Roraima (6.4%) and Santa Catarina (4.4%).