Government of Macao Special Administrative Region's Statistics Service released the retail sales survey of fourth quarter for 2005.
It stated that the value of retail sales in the fourth quarter of 2005, value of total retail sales was estimated at MOP2.34 billion.
The highest value was in the sales followed by sales of goods in department stores (12 percent); watches, clocks and jewellery (11 percent); goods in supermarkets (11 percent); adults' clothing (9 percent); automotive fuels (6 percent); cosmetic and sanitary articles (4 percent); goods in pharmacies (4 percent); and household electric appliances (4 percent).
In this quarter, value of retail sales rose by 7 percent compared with MOP2.19 billion recorded in the third quarter of 2005. In comparison with the fourth quarter of 2004 (MOP2.16 illion), value of retail sales registered an 8 percent growth.
Attributed to the continuous prosperity of the tourism sector and stable economic growth of Macao, the annual retail sales for 2005 registered an all-time record of MOP8.78 billion, up by 17 percent over 2004, with notable increases in the retail sales of cosmetic and sanitary articles (+40 percent); adults' clothing (+38 percent); automotive fuels (+36 percent); fuels for household use (+30 percent); and household electric appliances (+30 percent), etc.
A comparison of the retailers' opinions indicated that about 22 percent reported decrease in the sales volume in the fourthquarter of 2005, down by 19 percentage points over the third quarter; 78 percent reported constant or increase in sales volume. In terms of retail prices, 60 percent and 24 percent reported constant and increase in retail prices whereas 16 percent reported decrease.
Compared with the same quarter of 2004, about 69 percent said that the stock level was normal in the fourth quarter of 2005, while 14 percent indicated that the stock level was low.
Macau - Statistics and Census Service
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