According to Eustat data the Domestic Trade Index in the second quarter of 2004 underwent a nominal inter-annual increase of 6.7% when compared to the same period of the previous year. Once the effect of price increases has been taken into account, the real increase of sales in the trade sector in the second quarter of 2004 was estimated at 1.7%.

Table 1. –Nominal rates of inter-annual growth. A.C. of Euskadi. (%)

Source: EUSTAT

Wholesale trade increased its inter-annual sales by 7.5% during the second quarter of this year, while retail trade increased its sales by 5.1%.

In the wholesale sector nominal sales of Agricultural products and Foodstuffs (12.6%), stand out while the sale of Non-foodstuffs (6.6%), Machinery and Equipment (5.9%) and Semi-finished Products and Scrap (5,0%) increased more moderately.

In the traditional retail sector, sale of Personal Equipment (7.2%), Other Consumer Goods (6.5%) and Household Equipment (5.8%), recorded increases higher than that registered by the sale of Foodstuffs (0.5%).

The retail trade in medium-sized and large stores underwent an increase in sales, in nominal terms, of 3.7% during the second term of 2004, boosted more by the sales of foodstuffs (4.0%) than by other products (2.0%).

According to the Provincial breakdown, the highest inter-annual increase in nominal terms of the Domestic Trade Index were registered in the territories of Bizkaia (6.9%) and Gipuzkoa (6.9%), with Alava returning a more moderate increase of 5.6%. If these nominal increases are adjusted to real growth, the following results are obtained: commercial sales grew by 2.1% in Bizkaia, 1.7% in Gipuzkoa and 0.5% in Alava.

In this second quarter of the year and in comparison to the same quarter of the previous year, sales in the wholesale sector registered higher nominal growth than sales in the retail trade sector in all three Provinces of the A.C. of Euskadi. However, the growth of sales in real terms points to a more positive trend in the retail sector when compared with the wholesale sector in the three Provinces.

The number of personnel employed in the Trade sector in the A.C. of Euskadi increased by 2.5% inter-annually in the second quarter of 2004, being equal in both the wholesale and retail sectors. Looking at the provincial breakdown, the biggest inter-annual increase in employment in this sector was reached in Bizkaia (2.9%), followed by Gipuzkoa (2.3%) and then Alava (1.5%). The highest increase in employment were registered in the wholesale sector in Gipuzkoa (3.1%) folowed by Bizkaia (2.6%), with Alava registering a below average increase of (1.3%). Employment in the retail sector also grew more in the Provinces of Bizkaia (3.0%) and Guipuzkoa (1.9%), with a 1.6% increase in Alava.

Throughout the semester the inter-annual increase in employment was 2.2%, with a 2.4% increase in the wholesale sector and a slightly lower increase (2.1%) in the retail sector.

Table 2.- Domestic Trade Index. A.C. of Euskadi . 2nd quarter 2004.

Source: EUSTAT