Hong Kong's retail sales rise 2.0 percent in March
( 2001-05-07 17:07 ) (7 )

Hong Kong's retail sales value rose 2.0 percent year-on-year to HK$15.7 billion (US$2.01 billion) in March, the government said Monday.

In volume terms, retail sales rose 3.0 percent in March, as compared to a meagre increase of 1.0 percent in the first two months of the year, the Census and Statistics Department said.

However, for the first quarter of 2001 as a whole, total retail sales stayed virtually unchanged in value, yet increased by 2.0 percent in volume, over a year earlier.

The government spokesman said that the growth was also quite broadly based, across most types of retail outlets.

In March, sales of other consumer durable goods increased the most, by 10 percent in volume over the same month last year, followed by miscellaneous consumer goods by 8.0 percent in volume, commodities in supermarkets 8.0 percent, commodities in department stores 7.0 percent, food, alcoholic drinks and tobacco 6.0 percent, and furniture and fixtures 2.0 percent.

On the other side, sales of fuel decreased by 8.0 percent in volume, while sales of motor vehicles and parts as well as sales of jewellery, watches and clocks, and valuable gifts also declined.