The extended retail trade - which includes the retail plus the activities of vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces, and of construction material - remained virtually stable in terms of volume (-0.1%) against July 2017, with a high in the sales for the third month in a row, whereas the nominal revenue had a change of 0.4%. In relation to August 2016, the extended retail grew 7.6% in the volume of sales and 5.1% in the nominal revenue. The cumulative indexes of the volume of sales were of 1.9% in the year and of -1.6% in the last 12 months, whereas the nominal revenue recorded rates of 2.3% and 1.2%, respectively. The complete publication of the survey can be accessed here.

Seven of the eight activities surveyed dropped between July and August

The rate of the retail trade (-0.5%) in the volume of sales, from July to August 2017, in the seasonally-adjusted series, had a prevalence of negative results, achieving seven of the eight activities that comprise the retail.

In order of magnitude, the negative rates were: office, computer and communication equipment and material (-6.7%); fabric, apparel and footwear (-3.4%); books, newspapers, magazines and stationery (-3.1%); fuels and lubricants (-2.9%); pharmaceutical and medical goods, cosmetic and toilet articles (-0.5%); other articles of personal and domestic use (-0.4%); hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco (-0.3%).

On the other hand, putting on a positive pressure is the sector of furniture and household appliances that, advancing 1.7%, remained growing for the fourth month in a row in this kind of comparison.

The extended retail trade, showing a positive change of 0.1%, recorded the third positive rate in a row in relation to the previous month, influenced both by the advance of 2.8% in vehicles and motorcycles, parts and pieces, and by the 1.8% increase in the sales of construction material.

Compared with August 2016, the volume of sales in the retail advanced 3.6%, with six of the eight activities surveyed recording positive changes. The highlights were in furniture and domestic appliances (16.5%), followed by hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco (1.7%) that accounted for the main contributions to the overall result. With relevant positive rates, as well, are fabric, apparel and footwear, with advance of 9.0%, and other articles of personal and domestic use (6.1%) both with the third biggest participation in the overall rate.

The other positive rates were recorded in the sectors of pharmaceutical, medical and orthopedic goods and toiletries (4.4%) and office, computer and communication equipment and material (1.0%). On the other hand, fuels and lubricants (-2.9%) and books, newspapers, magazines and stationery (-4.4%) reduced the volume of sales compared to August 2016, pushing negatively the retail global result.

The activity of furniture and domestic appliances accounted for the main positive participation in the retail total, with growth of 16.5% in the volume of sales in relation to August last year – the fourth positive rate in a row in this comparison. In cumulative terms, the figures were of 8.0% from January to August 2017 and, of 0.8% in the last 12 months. Besides the influence of a low comparison basis, the positive behavior of the sector has been being influenced by the reduction of the average interest rate of credit to individuals and by the maintenance of the real wage bill circulating in the economy.

The segment of hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco, advancing 1.7% in volume of sales over August 2016, exerted the major positive impact in the formation of the overall retail rate. It is the fifth advance in a row in this comparison, confirming the upward trend of the segment. The activity had its performance influenced by the maintenance of the real income of the employed persons and by the decompression of prices of food at home, according to the IPCA. Nevertheless, the cumulative indicator from January to August 2017 still shows a negative change (-0.2%) and the cumulative indicator in the last 12 months, a loss of 1.3%.

By changing 9.0% in the volume of sales in relation to August last year, the sector of fabric, wearing apparel and footwear was the third highest contributor to the overall retail rate. In cumulative terms, the figures were of 7.3% from January to August 2017 and of 0.3% in the last 12 months. The sector presented a performance above the general average, influenced by the low basis of comparison in addition to the real usual wage bill.

The activity of other articles of personal and domestic use, which encompasses department stores, glasses shops, jewelry shops, sporting goods stores and toy stores, etc., was the third positive contributor to the retail rate, with a growth of 6.1% in the volume of sales in relation to the same period in 2016, registering the fifth consecutive positive figure. In cumulative terms, the rates were: 0.6% in 2017 and -1.7% in the last 12 months.

The sector of pharmaceutical, medical and orthopedic goods and toiletries recorded advance of 4.4% in the volume of sales in relation to August 2016, accumulating rates of 0.2% in the year and of -1.5% in the last 12 months. The high in the prices of the pharmaceutical products slowed the performance of the activity, despite the essential nature of the products traded.

The segment of office, computer and communication material and equipment changed 1.0% over the same month a year ago, registering the fifth consecutive increase. For longer periods, the rates were: -0.4% accumulated from January to August 2017 and -2.8% in the last 12 months.

The activity of fuels and lubricants, with a change of -2.9% in the volume of sales in relation to August 2016, represented the highest negative impact on the overall retail result. The cumulative rates were -3.1% in the year, and -4.8% in the last 12 months.

The activity books, newspapers, magazines and stationery, with decrease of 4.4% in the volume of sled over August 2016 contracted again in this comparison. In terms of cumulative rates, in 2017 and in the last 12 month, the changes were of -3.4% and -7.3%, respectively.

IN August 2016, the extended retail trade registered a advance of 7.6% compared to the same month a year ago, a performance influenced by the behavior of the sales of vehicles, motorcycles, parts and accessories, which presented a growth of 13.8% and the advance of 12.6% in construction material. However, the cumulative results for vehicles, motorcycles parts and pieces showed negative rates in the cumulative index in 2017 (-0.8%) and in the cumulative index in 12 months (-5.1%), whereas in construction material the cumulative rates were positive: 6.5% in the cumulative index over the year and 1.5% in the cumulative index in 12 months.

Between July and August, sales fall in 17 of the 27 Federation Units 

In the seasonally-adjusted series of the retail trade, 17 out of the 27 Federation Units registered negative changes for volume of sales over the previous month. The highlights in terms of magnitude of decrease were Amazonas (-3.2%) and São Paulo (-1.7%). On the other hand, Tocantins (5.5%), Rondônia (3.9%) and Roraima (2.6%) had advance in sales over July 2017.

In the comparison with August 2016, the growth of the volume of sales in the retail was widespread, reaching 21 of the 27 Federation Units. In terms of the magnitude of rate, the highlights were: Santa Catarina (16.4%); Acre (12.9%); and Rondônia (12.8%). As to the participation in the formation of the overall rate of the retail trade, the highlights with the main influences were:  São Paulo (1.9%); Rio do Sul (8.9%); Paraná (7.8%) and Santa Catarina (16.4%).

As to the extended retail trade, 24 Federation Units presented positive changes for the volume of sales in the comparison with the same period a year a go, with a highlight to the magnitude of the rate for Santa Catarina (18.9%); Rio Grande do Sul (17.0%); Amazonas and Espírito Santo (both with 15.8%). However, in terms of influence on the global result, are São Paulo (6.7%); Santa Catarina (18.9%) and Rio Grande do Sul (17.0%).