Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that value of retail sales for the second quarter of 2016 amounted to MOP 13.17 billion, down by 8.7% year-on-year and by 11.1% compared with the revised figure of MOP 14.81 billion in the first quarter of 2016. Retail sales of Watches, Clocks & Jewellery accounted for 19.4% of the total retail sales, followed by sales of Goods in Department Stores (14.8%), Adults' Clothing (12.5%), Leather Goods (10.8%) and Goods in Supermarkets (7.7%).

Notable decline was observed in the retail sales of Motor Vehicles (-51.6%) and Motorcycles, Parts & Accessories (-36.0%) due to the impact of economic slowdown and the increasing cost of car ownership; meanwhile, retails sales of Communication Equipment (-29.0%), Watches, Clocks & Jewellery (-15.1%), Goods in Department Stores (-10.6%), Goods in Supermarkets (-7.2%) and Household Appliances (-7.2%) also decreased. On the contrary, sales of Adults' Clothing (+19.8%) and Goods in Pharmacies (+3.4%) recorded year-on-year increase. Value of retail sales for the first half year of 2016 totalled MOP 27.98 billion, down by 9.8% year-on-year.

After removing the effect of price changes, volume of retail sales for the second quarter of 2016 dropped by 12.8% quarter-to-quarter. Sales volume of Communication Equipment (-24.5%), Watches, Clocks & Jewellery (-23.3%), Adults' Clothing (-15.7%), Motor Vehicles (-13.6%), Goods in Department Stores (-13.5%), Leather Goods (-12.2%), Footwear (-12.2%) and Goods in Supermarkets (-10.8%) registered quarter-to-quarter decrease.

Volume of retail sales decreased by 7.7% year-on-year in the second quarter. Sales volume of Motor Vehicles (-55.1%), Motorcycles, Parts & Accessories (-39.7%), Communication Equipment (-17.5%), Goods in Supermarkets (-16.1%) and Watches, Clocks & Jewellery (-14.5%) recorded notable decrease, while that of Adults' Clothing (+23.4%) and Leather Goods (+10.8%) showed increase. Volume of retail sales for the first half year of 2016 dropped by 7.9% year-on-year.

In respect of retailers’ comments, 47.1% of the retailers anticipate that the sales volume in the third quarter of 2016 will remain stable compared with the same quarter of 2015, 46.3% foresee a decrease, while 6.6% expect an increase. Meanwhile, 72.0% anticipate stable retail prices in the third quarter of 2016 compared to the same quarter of 2015, 19.5% expect a decrease, while 8.5% predict an increase. Moreover, 50.4% of the retailers anticipate the business will worsen in the third quarter of 2016 compared with the second quarter, 40.3% expect the business to remain stable, while 9.3% expect an improvement.