Sales of trade accumulate up 1.8% in 2019 and grow for the 3rd year in a row

Retail sales grew 1.8% in 2019, according to data released on Wednesday (12) by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). This is the third annual high in a row, although there was a slowdown compared to 2017 (2.1%) and 2018 (2.3%). Even after 3 years of recovery, the sector has not yet been able to recover losses from 2015 and 2016, according to research manager Isabella Nunes. In the two years of crisis the sector accumulated a loss of 10.2%. In the following three years, the accumulated gain reached 6.3%. Seven of the eight activities analyzed by IBGE had positive results last year, with emphasis on the activities of "Other articles of personal and domestic use" (6%), which includes department stores, optics, jewelry stores, sporting goods and toys, "Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic and perfumery articles" (6.8%) and the segment of "Furniture and appliances" (3.6%). First monthly drop after 7 straight highs In December, sales volume of trade was down 0.1%, compared to November, interrupting seven straight months of growth. Compared to December last year, however, there was an increase of 2.6%. The quarterly moving average showed a slow reduction, with a 0.2% change in the quarter ended December after a 0.6% advance in November, reinforcing the reading of a weaker recovery in the economy in the final stretch of the year.