The retail trade sector of the A.C. of the Basque Country increased nominal sales by 3.2% in the second quarter of 2006 with regard to the same period the year before, according to Eustat data. This nominal increase, discounting the effect of prices, becomes a positive inter-annual evolution of 1.5% in real terms. With these data the growth in retail sales during the first six months of 2006 came to a 4.7% nominal and 3.1% real increase.

REAL RATES OF INTER-ANNUAL GROWTH. A.C. OF EUSKADI

Source: EUSTAT

Traditional retail trade (specialised) increased nominal sales by 4.0% in the second quarter of 2006, with regard to the same period in 2005. This nominal increase became a 3.0 % growth rate in real terms.

Retail trade at medium and large stores (non-specialised) increased in the second quarter of the year by 1.8% in nominal terms. The variation on the inter-annual rate was -1.6% with regard to the same quarter of 2005.

Specialised retail trade, the highest inter-annual growth rate corresponded to Personal equipment, which registered 10.1% nominal growth, which in real terms was 8.4%. Food articles obtained intermediate growth with 6.4% in nominal terms, which also converted to a positive rate of 2.5% in real terms. Sales of products of Other Consumer Goods (sports, toys, optics and stationer’s among others) obtained more discrete nominal growth of 3.3%, but due to the deflationary effect of their prices, this rate became 5.2% growth in real terms. Capital goods in the home decreased by a nominal 6.5% and the inter-annual rate came to -8.0% in real terms.

By Provinces, the highest growth, in the second quarter of 2006, in retail sector nominal sales corresponded to Álava, with a 7.6% inter-annual increase, specialised retail trade sales rising 11.1% and non-specialised retail trade sales increasing by 1.3%.

Bizkaia obtained intermediate evolution of 3.1%, with a 4.1% increase in specialised trade sales and 1.4% in non-specialised trade sales.

Lower inter-annual provincial growth in the sale of retail trade corresponded to Gipuzkoa (1.7%), this increase being 1.2% for specialised retail trade and a 2.7% increase for non-specialised trade, in terms of nominal inter-annual variation.

The growth in employment in the retail trade sector on the average for the second quarter of the previous year was 1.5% and the provincial breakdown was as follows: Bizkaia grew by 2.2%, Gipuzkoa by 1.2% and Álava fell by 0.3%. Personnel employed in the retail trade sector in the second quarter of 2006 remained invariable on the previous quarter, increasing by 1.2% in Alava, 1.0% in Gipuzkoa and falling by 0.9% in Bizkaia.