Wholesale trade down in March quarter

Wholesale trade down in March quarter

7 June 2016

Wholesale trade sales fell in the March 2016 quarter for the second consecutive quarter, following a strong September 2015 quarter, Statistics New Zealand said today.

Seasonally adjusted total sales fell 0.4 percent in the March 2016 quarter, after a 0.3 percent fall in the December 2015 quarter and a 2.9 percent rise in the September 2015 quarter.

"As was the case last quarter, this quarter's fall in total wholesaling was led by the basic material industry," business indicators senior manager Neil Kelly said. "The fall in this industry was led by reduced sales to the agricultural sector."

When adjusted for seasonal effects, three of the six wholesaling industries fell in the March 2016 quarter, compared with the December 2015 quarter. The industries with the largest sales movements were:

• basic materials – down 3.7 percent ($183 million)

• motor vehicle and motor-vehicle parts – down 4.2 percent ($98 million)

• machinery and equipment wholesaling – up 1.8 percent ($83 million)

• grocery, liquor, and tobacco product wholesaling – up 0.7 percent ($52 million).

The trend for wholesale trade sales has generally been increasing since the September 2009 quarter, but appears to be easing in recent quarters.

The actual value of wholesale trade sales was $22.3 billion in the March 2016 quarter, up $445 million (2.0 percent) from the March 2015 quarter.

For more information about these statistics:

• Visit Wholesale Trade Survey: March 2016 quarter

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