The Daily — Retail trade, April 2012

September 6, 2013 – 10:13

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Retail sales declined 0.5% to $38.9 billion in April, more than offsetting the gain in March. Lower sales were reported in 8 of 11 subsectors, representing 78% of retail sales.

In volume terms, retail sales decreased 0.8%, the third decline in four months.

Chart 1
Retail sales decrease in April

Chart description: Retail sales decrease in April

CSV version of the chart

Sales at motor vehicle and parts dealers fell 1.2% in April, more than offsetting the rise in March. Lower receipts at new car dealers (-1.4%) accounted for most of the decrease. Used car dealers (-2.5%) also reported a decline, following four consecutive monthly increases. Sales rose at automotive parts, accessories and tire stores (+1.1%) and other motor vehicle dealers (+0.1%).

Lower retail receipts in certain store types in April largely reflected the advance of spring merchandise sales observed in March.

Following six straight monthly gains, sales at clothing and clothing accessories stores declined 2.8%, with lower sales reported by all store types within this subsector.

General merchandise stores registered a 0.6% decrease. Department store sales declined 1.2%, partially offsetting the gain in March. Sales at other general merchandise stores edged down 0.2%, after advancing for five straight months.

Sales at sporting goods, hobby, book and music stores fell 2.6%, following an increase in March. The decrease largely reflected weaker sales at sporting goods stores.

After two consecutive monthly gains, sales at building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers decreased 0.9%.

Food and beverage store receipts declined 0.3% in April. Lower sales at supermarkets and other grocery stores (-0.5%) accounted for most of the decline.

Gasoline stations (+1.1%) registered higher sales in April, offsetting the decline registered in March.

Sales decline in four provinces

Retail sales declines in April were limited to the four most populous provinces. These provinces account for about 85% of total retail sales.

Ontario (-1.1%) reported the largest decline. This more than offset March's gain, which was influenced by warmer than usual weather.

Quebec retailers registered a 0.5% sales decrease, a second consecutive monthly decline.

Sales in Alberta edged down 0.2%, after increasing in March.

After three consecutive monthly gains, British Columbia reported a 0.2% decrease.

Sales in Saskatchewan (+0.7%) grew for a third straight month.

The sales gain in Manitoba (+0.3%) followed three months of declines.

Note to readers

All the data in this release are seasonally adjusted and in current dollars, unless otherwise noted.

Total retail sales by volume are measured by deflating values in current dollars of the various trade groups using consumer price indexes. This retail sales in chained dollars series (2002) is a chain Fisher volume index with 2002 as the reference year.

It is possible to consult the tables of unadjusted data by industry and by province and territory from the Tables by subject module of our website.

For information on related indicators, refer to the Latest statistics page on our website.

Available without charge in CANSIM: tables CANSIM table080-0020 and CANSIM table080-0021.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey numbers survey number2406 and survey number2408.

The April 2012 issue of Retail Trade (Catalogue number63-005-X, free) will soon be available.

Data on retail trade for May will be released on July 24.

Source: www.statcan.gc.ca

How to Lie with Statistics Book (W. W. Norton & Company)

scri

Unemployment rose in May

2008-06-12 09:32:52 by bureau-of-labor

The unemployment rate rose from 5.0 to 5.5 percent in May, and nonfarm
payroll employment continued to trend down (-49,000), the Bureau of Labor
Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. In May, employ-
ment continued to fall in construction, manufacturing, retail trade, and
temporary help services, while health care continued to add jobs. Average
hourly earnings rose by 5 cents, or 0.3 percent, over the month.
The only sector that saw a rise in employment was Health Care, which means we are getting poorer AND sicker.

They should take this further:

2007-06-28 10:43:22 by Science-O

...
Three researchers at the University of California, Irvine Greg Linden, Kenneth L. Kraemer and Jason Dedrick applied some investigative cost accounting to this question, using a report from Portelligent Inc. that examined all the parts that went into the iPod.
Their study, sponsored by the Sloan Foundation, offers a fascinating illustration of the complexity of the global economy, and how difficult it is to understand that complexity by using only conventional trade statistics.
...
The researchers estimated that $163 of the iPods $299 retail value in the United States was captured by American companies and workers, breaking it down to $75 for distribution and retail costs, $80 to Apple, and $8 to various domestic component makers

Looking for a job? Try sales or retail sectors  — ABS CBN News
The wholesale and retail trade sector accounts for 40.5% of the total vacancies reported. Professional, scientific and technical activities total 17.9% of the vacancies followed closely by administrative support and service activities by 14.3%.

Expert explains reasons for price disparity in Nigeria's retail sector  — Premium Times
The persistent call for liberalization of the Nigerian economy has been yielding results in the wholesale and retail trade sector.

IRS: Sole Proprietorship Returns Up 1.8 Percent in 2011  — Accountingweb.com
According to Adrian Dungan, an economist with the Individual Returns Analysis Section of the IRS, all nonfarm sole proprietorship industries experienced increases in profits for 2011 with two exceptions: retail trade sector (down 2.9 percent) and all ..

Construction, wholesale and retail sectors show fastest growth in Q2  — Arab News
Construction and wholesale and retail trade sector along with the government services were among the fastest growing sectors.

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4. Retail Trade Survey Canada
5. Retail Trade Statistics