Hungary’s calendar-adjusted retail sales increased by 1.8% y/y in December 2013, slowing down from a 4.8% y/y increase in the previous month, the statistics office said on Feb 26, confirming the preliminary estimate published on Feb 5.
Retail sales edged up by 0.1% m/m in seasonal and calendar-adjusted terms, reversing from November’s 0.3% y/y drop.
The annual growth reflected a 2.7% y/y increase in non-food trade, a 0.4% y/y rise in food trade as well as a 4.9% y/y rise in automotive fuel sales. The latter grew for the ninth month in row in December.
Within the non-food category, sales of textiles, clothing, footwear increased by 7.3% y/y. Sales in second hand stores advanced by 5.8% y/y and the turnover in the cosmetics stores went up 4.2% y/y. Sales of furniture and electrical goods grew by 2.2% y/y. This category reversed to an annual growth in October 2013, after dropping in the previous 21 months. Retail trade in non-specialised stores advanced by 4.2% y/y as well.
Books and computer equipment was the single declining category in December 2013, dropping by 3.5% on the year.
Mail orders retail trade remained the fastest growing segment (26.4% 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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