Wholesale Activity Increases in December Quarter

Thursday, 4 March 2004, 12:21 am
Press Release: Statistics New Zealand

Seasonally adjusted sales increased 3.7 percent in the December 2003 quarter, compared with the September 2003 quarter, according to Statistics New Zealand. This follows a rise of 0.5 percent and a fall of 1.7 percent in the September 2003 and June 2003 quarters, respectively.

Food and grocery products wholesaling (up $157 million) recorded the largest increase in seasonally adjusted sales in the latest quarter, followed by primary product food wholesaling (up $118 million). These increases were partly offset by a decrease in seasonally adjusted sales of machinery and equipment not elsewhere classified wholesaling (down $47 million).

The trend in wholesale sales rose 2.5 percent in the December 2003 quarter, compared with the previous quarter. This follows a rise of 0.8 percent in the September 2003 quarter and a fall of 0.8 percent in the June 2003 quarter.

Between the end of September 2003 and the end of December 2003, the level of seasonally adjusted wholesale stocks rose by $134 million to $8,019 million.

David Archer

Acting Government Statistician

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