Motor Vehicle Sales Lead Wholesale Trade Decrease

Wholesale Trade Survey: December 2005 quarter

6 March 2006

Motor Vehicle Sales Lead Wholesale Trade Decrease

Motor vehicle sales led the 1.6 percent decrease in seasonally adjusted wholesale trade sales for the December 2005 quarter, Statistics New Zealand said today. Motor vehicle wholesaling was down 7.9 percent for the quarter. The second largest decrease was in farm and construction machinery, professional and business equipment wholesaling (down 6.9 percent). These decreases were partly offset by increases in food and grocery products wholesaling (up 1.3 percent), and primary product food wholesaling (up 2.3 percent).

The sales trend for the motor vehicle wholesaling industry has decreased 8.4 percent over the past three quarters.

The total sales trend for the December 2005 quarter decreased by 0.8 percent. This compares with an increase of 14.7 percent between the June 2003 and September 2005 quarters.

Between the December 2004 and the December 2005 quarters, the level of wholesale stocks increased 7.4 percent. The largest contributor to this rise was petroleum product wholesaling, which rose 34.2 percent.

Brian Pink
Government Statistician

ENDS

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