Johannesburg - South African retail trade sales at constant (2008) prices for February rose 5.6% year on year (y/y) after a revised 6.3% growth in January, figures released on Wednesday by Statistics SA showed.
Retail trade sales at constant (2008) prices for February were expected to increase to 6.9% y/y from the 6.4% seen in January, according to a survey of leading economists by I-Net Bridge.
Forecasts among the eight economists ranged from 5.8% to 8.2%.
Measured in real terms (constant 2008 prices), seasonally adjusted retail trade sales decreased by 1% in February 2011 compared with January 2011. This followed month-on-month changes of 1% in January 2011 and 1.6% in December 2010.
On the 5.6% growth, the highest annual growth rate was recorded for 'retailers in hardware, paint and glass'(16.7%), followed by 'retailers in pharmaceutical and medical goods, cosmetics and toiletries' (10.8%) and 'retailers in household furniture, appliances and equipment' (7.7%).
In real terms, retail trade sales for the three months ended February 2011 reflected an increase of 6.9% compared with the three months ended February 2010. The main contributors to the increase of 6.9% were 'general dealers' (5.4% and contributing 2.1 percentage points), 'retailers in textiles, clothing,footwear and leather goods' (5.9% and contributing 1.3 percentage points), 'retailers in pharmaceutical and medical goods, cosmetics and toiletries' (18.2% and contributing 1.0 percentage point) and 'all other retailers' (7.8% and contributing 1.0 percentage point)
Retail trade sales at constant (2008) prices for February were expected to increase to 6.9% y/y from the 6.4% seen in January, according to a survey of leading economists by I-Net Bridge.
Forecasts among the eight economists ranged from 5.8% to 8.2%.
Measured in real terms (constant 2008 prices), seasonally adjusted retail trade sales decreased by 1% in February 2011 compared with January 2011. This followed month-on-month changes of 1% in January 2011 and 1.6% in December 2010.
On the 5.6% growth, the highest annual growth rate was recorded for 'retailers in hardware, paint and glass'(16.7%), followed by 'retailers in pharmaceutical and medical goods, cosmetics and toiletries' (10.8%) and 'retailers in household furniture, appliances and equipment' (7.7%).
In real terms, retail trade sales for the three months ended February 2011 reflected an increase of 6.9% compared with the three months ended February 2010. The main contributors to the increase of 6.9% were 'general dealers' (5.4% and contributing 2.1 percentage points), 'retailers in textiles, clothing,footwear and leather goods' (5.9% and contributing 1.3 percentage points), 'retailers in pharmaceutical and medical goods, cosmetics and toiletries' (18.2% and contributing 1.0 percentage point) and 'all other retailers' (7.8% and contributing 1.0 percentage point)