Brazil: Retail sales drop for second consecutive month in May
Retail sales (excluding cars and construction) fell 0.1% from the previous month in seasonally-adjusted terms in May, which followed April’s revised 0.4% decrease (previously reported: -0.6% month-on-month). The result undershot market expectations of a small expansion.
Only two of the eight subcomponents recorded falling sales in May, with the bulk of the decline driven by a sharp drop in sales of fuels.
On an annual basis, retail sales increased 1.0% in May, which was below April’s 1.8% rise. Annual average growth in retail sales was edged down to 1.3% from April’s 1.5%.