MONDAY, AUGUST 3, 1992
PROVISIONAL RESULTS OF RETAIL SALES SURVEY FOR MAY 1992 RELEASED
THE VALUE OF TOTAL RETAIL SALES IN MAY THIS YEAR, ESTIMATED AT $12.6 BILLION, INCREASED BY 19% WHEN COMPARED WITH MAY 1991, ACCORDING то THE STATISTICS RELEASED TODAY (MONDAY) BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT.
THE LARGE INCREASE IN RETAIL SALES IN RECENT MONTHS REFLECTED A STRENGTHENING IN DEMAND FROM BOTH LOCAL CONSUMERS AND TOURISTS.
AFTER DISCOUNTING THE EFFECT OF PRICE CHANGES OVER THE TOTAL RETAIL SALES INCREASED BY 13% IN VOLUME TERMS.
PERIOD,
THE INCREASE WAS MAINLY ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE GROWTH IN CONSUMER SPENDING ON MOTOR VEHICLES, CLOTHING, JEWELLERY, WATCHES AND OTHER CONSUMER DURABLES.
SALES OF MOTOR VEHICLES IN MAY CONTINUED TO REGISTER THE LARGEST YEAR-ON-YEAR INCREASE, BY 47% IN VALUE AND 38% IN VOLUME.
SALES OF CONSUMER DURABLE GOODS OTHER THAN MOTOR VEHICLES UP BY 26% IN VALUE AND 25% IN VOLUME AS COMPARED WITH A YEAR AGO.
WENT
SALES OF CLOTHING, FOOTWEAR AND ALLIED PRODUCTS WENT UP BY 30% IN VALUE AND 19% IN VOLUME AS COMPARED WITH THE SAME MONTH LAST YEAR.
SALES OF JEWELLERY, WATCHES, CLOCKS AND VALUABLE GIFTS IN MAY RECORDED AN INCREASE OF 14% IN VALUE AND 18% IN VOLUME. THE LARGER INCREASE IN VOLUME WAS A RESULT OF THE FALL IN THE PRICES OF JEWELLERY ITEMS.
SALES IN DEPARTMENT STORES INCREASED BY 15% IN VALUE AND 6%
IN
VOLUME.
SALES IN SUPERMARKETS IN MAY INCREASED BY 13% IN VALUE AND IN VOLUME, WHILE SALES IN OTHER FOODSTUFF OUTLETS INCREASED BY 5% VALUE BUT DROPPED BY 2% IN VOLUME.
4%
IN
SALES OF FUELS WENT UP BY 13% IN VALUE AND 4% IN VOLUME AS COMPARED WITH A YEAR AGO.
COMPARING THE PERIOD JANUARY TO MAY 1992 WITH THE SAME PERIOD IN 1991, TOTAL RETAIL SALES ROSE BY 20% IN VALUE AND 13% IN VOLUME.
COMPARING WITH APRIL 1992, AND BEARING IN MIND THAT THIS COMPARISON MAY BE AFFECTED BY SEASONAL FACTORS, TOTAL RETAIL SALES MAY 1992 INCREASED BY 7% IN BOTH VALUE AND VOLUME TERMS.
IN
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