The retail trade in Brazil registered a growth of 0.5% in volume of sales and of 0.9% in nominal revenue, both rates in relation to the previous month (seasonally adjusted). Volume of sales recorded the third positive figure in a row, while nominal revenue registered the 13^th month of positive rates. As to the moving average, volume of sales changed 0.4%, whereas revenue recorded a growth rate of 0.8%. In the other comparisons, obtained from the unadjusted original series, the national retail trade recorded increases of 1.7% in volume of sales over June last year and of 3.0% and 5.5% in the cumulative indicators in the first six months of the year and in the last 12 months, respectively. For the same indicators, nominal revenue of sales recorded change rates of 9.9%, 11.3% and 11.9%, respectively.

The complete publication of the survey can be accessed at www.ibge.gov.br/english/estatistica/indicadores/comercio/pmc/.

Six out of 10 activities change positively

Compared with the previous month, six out of the 10 activities surveyed recorded positive figures in June in terms of seasonally-adjusted volume of sales. The figures were as follows, in order of magnitude of rates: Furniture and household appliances (1.8%); Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery (1.0%); Pharmaceutical, medical and orthopedic articles, toiletries and cosmetics (1.0%); Vehicles and motorcycles, parts and pieces (0.9%); Fuels and lubricants (0.9%); Construction material (0.6%); Other articles of personal and domestic use (-0.1%); Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco (-0.4%); Office, computer and communication equipment and material (-0.5%) and Textiles, wearing apparel and footwear (-1,4%).

In the relation June 2013 over June 2012 for retail trade in the seasonally unadjusted series, five out of the eight activities registered positive figures. The figures were as follows, in order of importance to the overall rate: 8.2% for Fuels and lubricants; 7.8% for Other articles of personal and domestic use; 6.6% for Pharmaceutical, medical and orthopedic articles and toiletries; 2.9% for Furniture and household appliances; 6.8% for Office, computer and communication equipment and material; -3.0% for Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery; -3.2% for Textiles, wearing apparel and footwear and -0.8% for Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco.

Positive figures in 21 states comparing with June 2012

Concerning volume of sales, 21 out of the 27 Federation Units registered positive figures when comparing June 2013 with June 2012. The highlights in terms of positive changes of volume of sales were: Mato Grosso do Sul (8.8%); Mato Grosso (7.5%); Paraíba (7.5%); Rondônia (6.9%) and Roraima (6.2%) - Graph 5. As to the contribution to the rate of the retail trade,  the highlights were, by order, São Paulo (2.1%); Paraná (5.0%); Rio de Janeiro (2.1%); Mato Grosso (7.5%); and Mato Grosso do Sul (8.8%).

As to the extended retail trade, 16 out of the 27 Federation Units recorded positive performance rates. The highest rates in volume of sales were registered in Mato Grosso (7.3%); Mato Grosso do Sul (5.4%); Piauí (4.7%); Amapá (3.7%) and Rondônia (3.7%). In terms of the impact on the overall index of the sector, the highlights were the states of Mato Grosso (7.3%); Mato Grosso do Sul (5.4%);  Maranhão (3.5%); Piauí (4.7%) and Goiás (1.5%).

Still concerning the Federation Units, the seasonally adjusted figures for volume of sales pointed to 19 states with positive changes compared with the immediately previous month. The highlights were: Amapá (3.3%); Pernambuco (2.2%); Piauí (1.8%); Mato Grosso do Sul (1.7%) and the Federal District (1.7%).

The segment of Fuels and lubricants stood out in the analysis of the retail trade figures, in order of importance to the overall rate. By changing 8.2% in volume of sales over June 2012, this segment was the biggest contribution to the retail trade (48%). The cumulative rates reached 6.2% in the semester and 7.5% in the last 12 months. This behavior was attributed to the change in the prices of fuels (a cumulative change of 3.5% in the last 12 months against 6.7% in the overall index, according to IPCA).

The activity of Other articles of personal and domestic use, which encompasses department, optical, jewelry, sport article, toy stores, etc., was the second main contributor to the retail trade rate (43%), with a change of 7.8% in volume of sales in relation to June 2012. In the cumulative indexes, the rate for the first semester of the year was of 9.8%, and for the last 12 months, 10.3%.

The activity of Pharmaceutical, medical and orthopedic articles and toiletries was the third highest contribution to the overall retail rate (26%). This activity recorded a growth of 6.6% compared with June last year, and cumulative rates of 8.6% in the semester and of 9.1% in the last 12 months. The expansion of the wage bill[1] and the essential nature of the products traded were the main factors that explained the positive performance of this segment.

By rising 2.9% in volume of sales against June last year, Furniture and household appliances was the fourth highest contribution to the overall retail rate (20%). This activity has been recording positive growth rates due to the policy of consumption incentives implemented by the government, through the maintenance of reduced IPI rates for furniture and household appliances[2]. However, these rates have been registering ever smaller changes over time. The cumulative rate in the year was 3.8% and, in the last 12 months, 7.2%.

The sector of Office, computer and communication material and equipment, responsible for the fifth highest contribution to the overall rate, registered an increase in volume of sales in June by 6.8% over the same month last year, as well as a cumulative rate of 3.7% in the semester and of 1.3% in the last 12 months. Among the factors that affected the performance, it should be highlighted the price increase of the products that comprise this activity, which recorded deflation until February.

By changing -0.8% in volume of sales over the same month last year, the segment of Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco became the smallest contributor to the overall index in June, after being the biggest contributor in May. In the cumulative indexes, the rate for the first six months of the year was 0.3%, and for the last 12 months, 3.9%. This figure was explained by the price increase of this segment in the last 12 months (13.6% in the IPCA´s subgroup Food at home)

Extended retail trade grows 1.0% in June

The extended retail trade, comprising the retail trade plus the activities of Vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces and Construction material, recorded a rise of 1.0% in volume of sales and of 0.9% in nominal revenue, both rates seasonally adjusted and in relation to the previous month.  Compared with the same month a year ago (seasonally unadjusted), the changes were of -2.0% for volume of sales and of 4.2% for nominal revenue. In the cumulative index in the year and in the last 12 months, the sector registered a change of 3.7% and 6.4% for volume of sales, and of 8.6% and 9.5% for nominal revenue, respectively.

As to volume of sales, the activity of Vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces registered a rise of 0.9% against May. Comparing with June a year ago, the change was -9.3%. This figure could be explained by the base effect, once the governmental measures - which took the IPI of 1.0 cars to zero and halved it for cars of other cubic capacities - were announced at the end of May 2012 and came into effect on sales in June (according to PMC, volume of sales in June 2012 was 20.7%). As to the cumulative rates, the changes were: 4.2% in the first six months and 7.% in the last 12 months.

As to the segment of Construction material, volume of sales changed 0.6% over the previous month, 5.0% in relation to June 2012, and 6.8% both in the cumulative index in the first six months of the year and in the last 12 months.