Commercial sales fell 0.3% from August to September. The result is the fifth negative result in a period of six months. In August, the sector grew 0.1%, but from April to July, it presented four consecutive falls.
Over the last 12 months, the sector has accumulated growth of 2.1%, the lowest since January 2024. Since April, when annual growth reached 3.4%, trade performance has shown a downward trend.
The data is in the Monthly Trade Survey, released this Thursday (13) by Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE).
IBGE analyst Cristiano Santos states that the sector is at a level 1.1% below March 2025, the highest point in the series started in 2000.
“September is a result that resumes that negative trajectory that was happening.”
According to Santos, inflation and the high comparison base in March are factors that explain trade “going sideways” in recent months.
In relation to September 2024, there was an expansion of 0.8%. In the third quarter, there was a decline of 0.4% compared to the second quarter.
The research places Brazilian trade at a level 8.9% above the pre-covid-19 pandemic period (February 2020).
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Sectors
From August to September, six of the eight sectors surveyed by IBGE showed a decline:
- Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery: -1.6%
- Fabrics, clothing and footwear: -1.2%
- Fuels and lubricants: -0.9%
- Office, IT and communication equipment and supplies: -0.9%
- Furniture and Household Appliances: -0.5%
- Hyper, supermarkets, food products, drinks and tobacco: -0.2%
When commenting on the decline in the sale of books, newspapers, magazines and stationery, Cristiano Santos points out that the activity is recording a persistent downward trend, “mainly due to the migration of part of its product portfolio to other activities, as in the case of physical books”.
Wholesale
In expanded retail trade, which includes wholesale activities ─ vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces; building material; and food products, beverages and tobacco ─ the indicator grew 0.2% from August to September and marks an increase of 0.7% in the 12 months.
Situational research
The Monthly Trade Survey is the third of three situational surveys released monthly by IBGE.
In recent days, the institute revealed that the country presented that the industry it fell 0.4% from August to September and grew 1.5% in 12 months.
You services grew 0.6% in monthly fares, totaling eight consecutive months of increases. In 12 months, the sector that employs the most in the country increased by 3.1%.
