Eustat

Press release 09/02/12

DOMESTIC TRADE INDEX OF THE BASQUE COUNTRY (ICI) 4th quarter of 2011

There was no change in sales in the retail trade sector of the Basque Country (0.0%) in the fourth quarter of 2011

In 2011 as a whole there was a 2.0% rise

Nominal sales in the retail trade sector of the Basque Country remained unchanged (0.0%) in the fourth quarter of 2011 compared to the same period of the previous year, according to data provided by Eustat.

With respect to the previous quarter, the sales index was down a nominal 0.1%, once any seasonal effects had been eliminated.

By sectors, wholesale trade saw a rise of 1.0% in nominal sales in the fourth quarter of 2011, while retail sales were down 1.5% with respect to the same period of 2010.

Within the wholesale trade sector, the performance of the Agriculture & Food Products sector was particularly noteworthy, posting nominal growth of 3.6%. The Semi-finished Products & Scrap sector also grew, posting an increase of 2.9%. There was no noticeable change in sales in the Machinery & Equipment sector (0.0%), compared to the same quarter of the previous year. However, the Non-food Products sector experienced a drop in nominal sales of 6.4%.

In the retail trade sector, specialised trade sales were down by 1.6%, whilst non-specialised retail trade sales dropped by 1.0%.

By Provinces, the highest overall growth in retail sector nominal sales in the fourth quarter of 2011 was in Gipuzkoa, with a 2.3% year-on-year increase. Álava increased its nominal sales by 0.6%, whilst in Bizkaia they were down 1.4%.

In real terms, domestic trade sales fell by 3.2% in the fourth quarter, once the price effect had been eliminated.

There was a 2.9% drop in wholesale trade, whilst in retail trade there was a fall of 3.3%, compared to the same quarter of 2010 and at constant prices.

Year-on-year performances varied within the wholesale trade sector: sales of Agriculture & Food Products rose by 1.3%; in contrast, Semi-finished Products & Scrap fell by 5.4%, sales of Non-food Products by 5.0% and in the Machinery & Equipment sector sales dropped by 0.7%, all in real terms.

With regard to the retail trade sector, specialised retail sales fell by 3.3% and non-specialised retail sales by 3.0%, in constant euros.

The number of people employed in the retail trade sector in the Basque Country overall in the fourth quarter of 2011 was down by 0.5% on the third quarter of 2011.

ANNUAL BALANCE 2011

There was an accumulated nominal increase of 2.0% in retail trade sales for the year overall. By province, the best performance was registered by Álava, with an increase in the year overall of 4.6%, followed by Gipuzkoa, with a rise of 2.8% and Bizkaia, which was up 0.8%, all in nominal rates.

In real terms, the sector as a whole was down 2.5% in the Basque Country, with Bizkaia falling by 2.9%, Gipuzkoa by 2.3% and Álava by 1.5%.

The drop in employment in the retail trade sector in 2011 compared to the average of the previous year was 1.5% and was reflected provincially as follows: Bizkaia posted a drop of 1.0% and both Gipuzkoa and Álava fell by 2.0%.

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