Home > Statistics > Turnover of trade > 2019 > May > Turnover of trade went down by 0.7 per cent in May

Published: 15 July 2019

Turnover of trade went down by 0.7 per cent in May

According to Statistics Finland, the working day adjusted turnover of total trade went down by 0.7 per cent in May compared to May 2018. Development was clearly weakest in motor vehicle trade, while annual changes in the turnover of wholesale trade and retail trade remained close to zero. The working day adjusted sales volume, from which the impact of price changes has been eliminated, decreased altogether by 1.6 per cent in May.

Annual change in working day adjusted turnover and sales volume in total trade (G), %

The working day adjusted turnover of motor vehicle trade went down by 4.6 per cent and the sales volume also declined by 4.7 per cent from one year ago. In wholesale trade, the working day adjusted turnover grew slightly by 0.2 per cent, while at the same time, the sales volume decreased by 1.6 per cent. The working day adjusted turnover of retail trade went down by nearly half a per cent compared with the previous year. Among retail trade industries both turnover and sales volume of department store trade increased by 0.7 per cent. In specialised store trade, turnover went down by 1.1 per cent, whereas the sales volume of the industry increased by nearly as much. Turnover of daily consumer goods trade remained on the same level with the previous year, while the sales volume, in turn, decreased by 1.4 per cent from May 2018.

Annual change in working day adjusted turnover and sales volume in industries of trade, May 2019, % (TOL 2008)

Turnover and sales volume decreased from the previous month

The seasonally adjusted turnover of total trade went down by 0.3 per cent in May compared to April. The sales volume also decreased by 0.8 per cent over the same period. In April, turnover grew by 0.7 per cent and sales volume by 1.0 per cent compared to the previous month.

Change in seasonally adjusted turnover and sales volume in total trade (G) from the previous month, %

In January to May, the working day adjusted turnover of total trade increased by 1.1 per cent, whereas the sales volume went down by 0.2 per cent from the corresponding period of 2018.

Trend of turnover and sales volume in total trade

The calculation of indices of turnover of trade is based on the Tax Administration’s data on self-assessed taxes, which are supplemented with Statistics Finland’s sales inquiry. The volume index of sales is calculated by removing the effect of price changes from the value index series.

The factors caused by the variation in the number of weekdays are taken into account in adjustment for working days. This means taking into consideration the lengths of months, different weekdays and holidays. In addition, seasonal variation is eliminated from seasonally adjusted series, on account of which it makes sense to compare observations of two successive months as well.

The data for the latest month are preliminary and they may become significantly revised particularly on more detailed industry levels in coming months.

Source: Turnover of trade, Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Seija Karttunen 029 551 2741, palvelut.suhdanne@stat.fi

Director in charge: Mari Ylä-Jarkko

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Appendix tables

• Appendix table 1. Annual change of working day adjusted turnover and sales volume in industries of trade, % (TOL 2008) (15.7.2019)

Revisions in these statistics

• Revisions in these statistics (15.7.2019)

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Updated 15.07.2019