Wholesale Activity Increases in December Quarter

Wholesale Activity Increases in December Quarter

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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