South African retail trade sales at constant (2008) prices for April increased 3.2% year-on-year (y/y) after a revised 2.7% (1.0%) growth in March, figures released on Thursday, 17 June 2010, by Statistics South Africa showed.
Revised figures show that retail sales have been in positive territory since January this year, indicating that the demand-side of the economy has been on the mend.
Initial figures had shown a 1.5% contraction in retail sales in January, which has now been revised upwards to 0.4%.
The 1.3% decline in retail sales recorded in February was revised upwards to 0.8% while the 1% increase recorded in March was revised upwards to 2.7%.
Retail trade sales, at current prices, for April 2010 increased 5.4% compared with April 2009, while sales for the corresponding period in 2009 increased by 4.1%, Stats SA said.
Seasonally adjusted retail trade sales, at constant 2008 prices, for the quarter ended April reflected an increase of 1.8% compared with the three months ended January 2010.
Retail trade sales, at constant 2008 prices, for the three months ended April 2010 reflected an increase of 2.2% compared with the three months ended April 2009, while sales for the corresponding period in 2009 decreased by 5.1%.
The main contributors to the 2.2% increase were retailers in textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods (7.8% and contributing 1.4 percentage points) and general dealers (2.0% and contributing 0.8 of a percentage point).
Retail trade sales, at current prices, for the quarter ended April 2010 compared with the quarter ended April 2009 increased by 5.2%.
The main contributors to this increase were general dealers (6.2% and contributing 2.5 percentage points) and retailers in textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods (9.3% and contributing 1.7 percentage points.)