Wholesale trade sales, at constant 2000 prices, for the first quarter of 2010 decreased by 4,4% compared with the first quarter of 2009, while sales for the same period in 2009 decreased by 6,1%.

Seasonally adjusted wholesale trade sales for the first quarter of 2010 increased by 0,6% compared with the fourth quarter of 2009.

Wholesale trade sales, at constant 2000 prices, for March 2010 increased by 0,4% compared with March 2009.

In nominal terms, wholesale trade sales decreased by 1,2% for the first quarter of 2010  compared with the first quarter of 2009. The major contributor to this decrease was dealers in machinery, equipment and supplies (-13,1% and contributing -2,6 percentage points). However, this decrease was partly counteracted by an increase in dealers in solid, liquid and gaseous fuels and related products (10,4% and contributing1,7 percentage points).

Wholesale trade sales, at current prices, for March 2010 increased by 4,0% compared with March 2009, while sales for the corresponding period in 2009 decreased by 0,7%.

Seasonally adjusted retail trade sales, at constant real) 2008 prices, for the first quarter of 2010 reflected an increase of 3,5% compared with the fourth quarter of 2009. However, for the first quarter of 2010 a real decrease of 0,6% compared with the first quarter of 2009 was observed, while sales for the corresponding period in 2009 decreased by 3,0%.
 
The main contributors to the decrease of 0,6% for the first quarter of 2010 compared with the first quarter of 2009 were all other retailers (-6,6% and contributing -1,0 percentage point) and retailers in hardware, paint and glass ( 13,6% and contributing -1,0 percentage point). However, these decreases were partially counteracted by an increase in the sales of retailers in textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods (7,0% and contributing 1,2 percentage points) – see Table C on page 3.

Retail trade sales, at constant 2008 prices, for March 2010 reflected an increase of 1,0% compared with March 2009.

Nominal retail trade sales increased by 4,9% for the first quarter of 2010 compared with the first quarter of 2009 . The main contributors to this increase were general dealers (5,6% and contributing 2,2 percentage points) and retailers in textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods (10,8% and contributing 1,9 percentage points). Retail trade sales for March 2010 increased by 5,7% compared with March 2009, while sales for the corresponding period in 2009 increased by 7,0%.