XN000022-1986-05-01 — Page 2

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THURSDAY, MAY 1, 1986

FEBRUARY RETAIL SALES SURVEY RESULTS OUT

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THE VALUE OF TOTAL RETAIL SALES IN FEBRUARY 1986, ESTIMATED AT $5 547 MILLION, WAS 5 PER CENT LOWER THAN IN FEBRUARY 1985, WHILE THEIR VOLUME WAS 8 PER CENT LOWER, ACCORDING TO THE PROVISIONAL SURVEY RESULTS RELEASED TODAY (THURSDAY) BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT.

THIS COMPARISON, HOWEVER, IS AFFECTED BY THE DIFFERENT TIMING OF THE LUNAR NEW YEAR, WHICH COMMENCED ON FEBRUARY 9 THIS YEAR BUT ON FEBRUARY 20 LAST YEAR.

COMPARED WITH FEBRUARY 1985, RETAIL SALES OF FUELS INCREASED BY 1 PER CENT IN BOTH VALUE AND VOLUME TERMS. HOWEVER, CONSUMER DURABLES RECORDED DECREASES OF 3 PER CENT IN SALES VALUE AND 7 PER CENT IN SALES VOLUME, CLOTHING, FOOTWEAR AND ALLIED PRODUCTS FELL BY 4 PER CENT IN SALES VALUE AND 9 PER CENT IN SALES VOLUME.

+OTHER

RETAIL SALES OF FOODSTUFFS, ALCOHOLIC DRINKS AND TOBACCO DROPPED BY 5 PER CENT IN VALUE AND 6 PER CENT IN VOLUME. CONSUMER GOODS+ WENT DOWN BY 7 PER CENT IN SALES VALUE AND 10 PER CENT IN SALES VOLUME,

ANALYSED BY SELECTED TRADES, RETAIL SALES OF SUPERMARKETS INCREASED SLIGHTLY IN BOTH VALUE AND VOLUME TERMS. MOTOR VEHICLES REGISTERED A RISE IN SALES VALUE BUT A FALL IN SALES VOLUME.

RETAIL SALES OF CONSUMER DURABLES OTHER THAN MOTOR VEHICLES SHOWED SLIGHT DECREASES, WHILE THOSE OF DEPARTMENT STORES EXPERIENCED MODERATE DECREASES IN BOTH VALUE AND VOLUME TERMS.

COMPARING THE THREE-MONTH PERIOD DECEMBER 1985-FEBRUARY 1986 WITH THE SAME PERIOD 12 MONTHS PREVIOUSLY, TOTAL RETAIL SALES INCREASED BY 2 PER CENT IN VALUE BUT FELL BY 1 PER CENT IN VOLUME. RETAIL SALES OF CLOTHING, FOOTWEAR AND ALLIED PRODUCTS ROSE BY 8 PER CENT IN VALUE AND 3 PER CENT IN VOLUME. CONSUMER DURABLES WENT UP BY 4 PER CENT IN SALES VALUE BUT RECORDED NO CHANGE IN SALES VOLUME. FUELS RECORDED INCREASES OF 2 PER CENT IN SALES VALUE AND 1 PER CENT IN SALES VOLUME. FOODSTUFFS, ALCOHOLIC DRINKS AND TOBACCO SHOWED A 2 PER CENT INCREASE IN SALES VALUE BUT NO CHANGE IN SALES VOLUME.

RETAIL SALES OF +OTHER CONSUMER GOODS+ FELL BY 1 PER CENT IN SALES VALUE AND 3 PER CENT IN SALES VOLUME. RETAIL SALES BY SUPERMARKETS INCREASED MODERATELY IN BOTH VALUE AND VOLUME TERMS WHILE THOSE OF MOTOR VEHICLES ROSE MODERATELY IN VALUE AND SLIGHTLY IN VOLUME,

/CONSUMER DURABLES