Eustat

Press release 13/05/2011

DOMESTIC TRADE INDEX OF THE BASQUE COUNTRY (ICI) 1st quarter 2011

Retail sector sales rose by 4.7% in the Basque Country in the first quarter of 2011

Wholesale sales were up by 8.7% while retail sales fell by 1.8%

The retail trade sector of the Basque Country registered a 4.7% rise in nominal sales in the first quarter of 2011 with regard to the same period of the previous year, according to Eustat data.

With respect to the previous quarter, the sales index was up a nominal 3.2%, once any seasonal effects had been eliminated.

By sectors, nominal sales of the wholesale sector rose by 8.7% in the first quarter of 2010, while retail sales fell by 1.8% with respect to the same period of 2010.

Within the wholesale trade sector, the performance of the Semi-finished Products & Scrap sector was particularly noteworthy as it posted nominal growth of 17.7%. The Machinery & Equipment sector also registered growth, with an increase of 9.2%. However, nominal sales of Non-food Products and Food & Agricultural Products were down by 1.8% in both cases.

In the retail trade sector, the specialised trade sales were down by 1.3%, which non-specialised retail trade sales fell by 2.5%.

By Provinces, the highest growth in retail sector nominal sales overall, in the first quarter of 2011, was in Álava, with a 9.8% year-on-year increase. Gipuzkoa increased its nominal saes by 5.3% and Bizkaia by 3.0%.



In real terms, domestic trade sales fell by 1.1% in the first quarter after eliminating the price effect.

In the wholesale trade, sales increased by 1.0%, which retail trade fell by 4.8%, with respect to the same quarter of 2010 and in constant prices.

Year-on-year performances varied within the wholesale trade sector: the sales of Machinery & Equipment rose by 7.7% and Semi-finished Products & Scrap posted growth of 2.4%%. However, Agriculture & Food Products fell by 2.1% and sales of Non-food Consumer Products were down by 1,5%, both in real terms.

With regard to retail trade, specialised retail sales fell by 4.7 % and non-specialised retail ones by 4.8%, in constant euros.

The number of people employed in the retail trade sector in the Basque Country overall in the first quarter of 2011 was down by 0.4% on the fourth quarter of 2010.

For further information:

Basque Statistics Office
C/ Donostia-San Sebastián, 1 01010 Vitoria-Gasteiz
Tel: +34-945-01 75 00 Fax:+34-945-01 75 01 E-mail: eustat@eustat.es
Contact: Gerardo Pérez Aja
Tel:+34-945-01 75 06 Fax:+34-945-01 75 01
Further press releases on Domestic Trade Index (ICI) of the Basque Country.
Databank on Domestic Retail Index of the Basque Country