Retail Trade Survey: March 2004 quarter

Retail Trade Survey: March 2004 quarter

14 May 2004

March Quarter Retail Sales Increase Seasonally adjusted total retail sales increased 2.8 percent in the March 2004 quarter, compared with the December 2003 quarter, according to Statistics New Zealand.

Excluding the motor vehicle related industries, seasonally adjusted retail sales increased 2.1 percent over the same period. On a monthly basis, seasonally adjusted total retail sales increased 2.3 percent in March 2004, compared with February 2004.

The volume of seasonally adjusted total retail sales rose 2.6 percent in the March 2004 quarter, compared with the December 2003 quarter. This follows rises of 1.3 percent in the December 2003 quarter and 2.2 percent in the September 2003 quarter. Twenty-one of the 24 retail industries recorded higher seasonally adjusted sales in the March 2004 quarter, compared with the December 2003 quarter.

The largest dollar value increases occurred in motor vehicles and automotive fuel, up $80 million and $74 million, respectively. Personal and household goods hiring recorded the only decrease, down $4 million.

Seasonally adjusted sales for the total North Island increased 2.8 percent in the March 2004 quarter, compared with the December 2003 quarter. Over the same period, the total South Island seasonally adjusted sales increased 4.0 percent.

Total actual retail sales for the March 2004 quarter were $13,364 million, 8.4 percent higher than for the March 2003 quarter.

ENDS

© Scoop Media