Key findings: P6141.2 - Wholesale trade sales, April 2013

Sales at constant 2012 prices: results for April 2013

Measured in real terms (constant 2012 prices), wholesale trade sales increased by 7,2% year-on-year in April 2013. Seasonally adjusted wholesale trade sales increased by 8,8% in April 2013 compared with March 2013. This followed month-on-month changes of -5,8% in March 2013 and -1,9% in February 2013.

Cautionary note:

Note that the Easter weekend fell partly in March and partly in April in 2013, whereas in 2012 it fell in April. This may have positively affected the performance of wholesale trade in April 2013, which should be taken into account in assessing the increase of 7,2% year-on-year in April 2013. There were 18 working days in April 2012 compared with 21 working days in April 2013. The seasonally adjusted increase of 8,8% between March and April 2013 should also be treated with caution. Stats SA