IMPROVING LIVES THROUGH DATA ECOSYSTEMS

Wholesale trade sales in real terms increase

After recording an increase of 5,0% year-on-year in March 2008, annual growth in wholesale trade sales at constant (2000) prices rose strongly in April 2008 to 20,6%. Higher sales in April 2008 may be partly attributed to a longer working month in April 2008 compared with April 2007 owing to the Easter period shifting from April 2007 to March 2008. Seasonally adjusted wholesale trade sales, at constant (2000) prices, for the three months up to April 2008 increased by 6,3% compared with the previous three months. 

In the first four months of 2008, wholesale trade sales increased by 10,2% in real terms compared with the same period in 2007, slightly higher than the increase of 9,1% reported for the same period in 2007 compared with 2006.

The major contributors to the 26,0% increase in wholesale trade sales at current prices for the three months up to April 2008 compared with the three months up to April 2007 were dealers in solid, liquid and gaseous fuels and related products (+8,1 percentage points), dealers in machinery, equipment and supplies (+4,9 percentage points) and dealers in food, beverages and tobacco (+2,7 percentage points).

Wholesalers trading in solid, liquid and gaseous fuels and related products and wholesalers in machinery, equipment and supplies led the strong growth of 37,4% year-on-year in wholesale trade sales at current prices for April 2008. A significant part of the increase in sales of most of the wholesalers was price-driven.