Electronic card spending up in October
After adjusting for seasonal effects, the value of the total Electronic Card Transaction (ECT) series increased 0.5
percent in October 2008 compared with September 2008, Statistics New Zealand said today.
This follows an increase of 0.8 percent in September.
The value of the seasonally adjusted retail ECT series was also up 0.5 percent in October 2008, following a flat
September month. The durables, consumables and apparel industries experienced the largest increases, while fuel
retailing was the only industry to record a decrease.
The seasonally adjusted core retail ECT series (which excludes the motor vehicle-related industries) increased 1.0
percent in October, following a decrease of 0.3 percent in September.
The trend for the total ECT series had been comparatively flat in early 2008, but has strengthened in recent
months.
There were 90 million electronic transactions in October 2008 with a value of $4.8 billion.
Geoff Bascand
Government Statistician
21 November 2008
ENDS
See also Hot Off The Press information release Electronic Card Transactions: October 2008 (PDF).
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Electronic Card Transactions: October 2008 Highlights
Compared with September 2008 (on a seasonally adjusted basis):
• The value of the total Electronic Card Transaction (ECT) series was 0.5 percent higher.
• The value of the retail ECT series was 0.5 percent higher.
• The value of the core retail ECT series was 1.0 percent higher.
Trends:
• The total ECT trend series flattened between February and June but has been increasing since then.
• The retail ECT trend series flattened between January and April but has been increasing since then.
• The core retail ECT trend series flattened from late 2007 to mid-2008 but has been increasing since then.