Brazil: Retail sales pick up in July
Retail sales (excluding cars and construction) rose 1.0% from the previous month in seasonally-adjusted terms in July, which followed June’s revised 0.5% growth (previously reported: +0.1% month-on-month) and marked the best reading since November 2018.
The upturn chiefly reflected higher sales of food, beverages and tobacco products; other personal and household articles; and furniture and household appliances.
On an annual basis, retail sales rose 4.4% in July, which was notably above June’s 0.1% rise. Annual average growth in retail sales rose to 1.6%, above June’s 1.2% and breaking the downward trend seen since the start of 2018.