SA's wholesale trade sales up 6.0% in October

Measured in real terms (constant 2012 prices)‚ wholesale trade sales increased by 6.0% year-on-year in October after a revised 8.4% (8.3%) rise in September‚ data released by Stats SA on Thursday (12 December) showed.

Wholesale trade sales were up by 6% in October. Image: Beeboys Fotolia

Seasonally adjusted wholesale trade sales increased by 1.0% in October compared with September. This followed month-on-month changes of -0.2% in September and 0.6% in August.

Seasonally adjusted wholesale trade sales increased by 1.1% in the three months ended October compared with the previous three months.

Measured in current prices‚ wholesale trade sales increased by 12.5% in October compared with the same month last year.

The major contributors to this increase were dealers in solid‚ liquid and gas fuels and related products (8.4% and contributing 2.0 percentage points); machinery‚ equipment and supplies (12.4% and contributing 1.7 percentage points); fee or contract based work (34.2% and contributing 1.6 percentage points); and other goods (15.1% and contributing 1.6 percentage points).

Wholesale trade sales increased by 13.2% in the three months ended October compared with the same period last year.

Stats SA said the major contributors to this increase were dealers in solid‚ liquid and gas fuels and related products‚ machinery‚ equipment and supplies (16.2% and contributing 2.2 percentage points); and food‚ beverages and tobacco.