Wholesale sales fall in first quarter of 2014

Wholesale sales fall in first quarter of 2014

9 June 2014

Wholesale trade sales fell in the first quarter of 2014, Statistics New Zealand said today.

Seasonally adjusted sales fell 0.4 percent in the March 2014 quarter. This follows a 2.3 percent rise in the previous quarter.

"There were mixed results in the wholesaling industries this latest quarter," business indicators manager Neil Kelly said, "with the two largest industry movements almost cancelling each other out."

The two industries recording the largest sales movements in March were:
• machinery and equipment wholesaling, down $217 million (4.8 percent)
• basic material wholesaling, up $231 million (4.8 percent).

The machinery and equipment wholesaling industry includes businesses that trade in consumer electronics, telecommunication equipment, professional and scientific equipment, and agricultural machinery. The basic material wholesaling industry includes businesses that trade in agricultural supplies and products (excluding food), minerals, timber, and hardware supplies and products.

The trend for total wholesale trade sales has generally been increasing since the September 2009 quarter.

In actual terms, the value of total wholesale trade sales was $20.6 billion, up 3.3 percent on the March 2013 quarter.

When adjusted for seasonal effects the total wholesale trade stocks rose 1.7 percent, to reach $9.2 billion.

For more information about these statistics: Visit Wholesale Trade Survey: March 2014 quarter

ENDS

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