Hungary’s calendar-adjusted retail sales increased by 4.8% y/y in November 2013, speeding up from 2.5% y/y in the previous month, the statistics office said, slightly revising down the preliminary estimate for a 4.9% y/y rise.
Sales advanced by 0.4% m/m in seasonal and calendar-adjusted terms, faster than October’s 0.3% y/y increase.
The annual growth reflected a 4.9% y/y increase in non-food trade, a 4.3% y/y rise in food trade as well as a 5% y/y rise in automotive fuel sales. The latter grew for the eight month in row in November.
Within the non-food category, sales of textiles, clothing, footwear increased by 10.5% y/y. Sales in second hand stores advanced by 8.6% y/y and the turnover in the cosmetics stores went up 1.7% y/y. Sales of furniture and electrical goods grew by 6.4% y/y in November. This category reversed to an annual growth in October 2013, after dropping in the previous 21 months.
By contrast, retail trade in non-specialised stores fell by 2.3%. Sales of books, computer equipment, as well as pharmaceutical and medical goods declined by 2% y/y and 0.8% y/y, respectively.
Mail orders retail trade remained the fastest growing segment (45.9% y/y), positively influenced by the strong expansion of online sales. However, the sector had a relatively low contribution to the overall index.
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