6 December 2006
Wholesale Trade Sales Continue to Rise
Seasonally adjusted total wholesale trade sales for the September 2006 quarter increased 2.6 percent, Statistics New
Zealand said today. This is the third consecutive quarterly increase since December 2005.
During this period the total sales trend has increased 5.1 percent, following a flat period in the second half of 2005.
The total sales trend has increased steadily since the June 1998 quarter.
The two largest contributors to the increase in seasonally adjusted sales were the wholesaling industries for primary
product food (up 9.9 percent); and farm and construction machinery, professional and business equipment (up 7.9
percent). These increases were partly offset by decreases in both food and grocery products and pharmaceutical and
toiletry wholesaling.
Seasonally adjusted wholesale stocks for the September 2006 quarter were 2.9 percent higher than for the June 2006
quarter.
Brian Pink
Government Statistician
ENDS