Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that value of retail sales for the first quarter of 2021 totalled MOP18.75 billion, up by 68.0% year-on-year. After removing the effect of price changes, the sales volume index soared by 76.4% year-on-year.

Among the major retail trade activities, sales values of Communication Equipment (+182.4%), Leather Goods (+150.5%) and Watches, Clocks & Jewellery (+123.4%) showed notable year-on-year increase, whereas sales value of Supermarkets (-17.9%) decreased. As regards sales volume index, the indices of Communication Equipment (+203.7%), Leather Goods (+152.1%) and Watches, Clocks & Jewellery (+114.2%) registered significant growth, while the index of Supermarkets (-17.0%) declined.

Value of retail sales in the first quarter of 2021 rose by 3.1% as compared with the revised figure (MOP18.19 billion) in the fourth quarter of 2020. Sales value of Communication Equipment (+45.8%) rose markedly, whereas sales values of Motor Vehicles (-16.4%) and Adults’ Clothing (-5.2%) dropped. Moreover, the sales volume index grew by 4.2% quarter-to-quarter; the index of Communication Equipment surged by 47.7%, while the indices of Motor Vehicles and Automotive Fuels fell by 15.8% and 5.7% respectively.

In respect of retailers’ comments, 43.4% of the retailers expected the sales volume to stay stable year-on-year in the second quarter of 2021, 41.6% anticipated a decrease and 15.0% forecasted an increase. Meanwhile, 58.7% of the retailers predicted that the retail prices would remain steady year-on-year in the second quarter, 30.2% foresaw a decrease and 11.1% expected an increase. As compared with the first quarter of 2021, about 45.7% of the retailers envisaged sluggish business in the second quarter, whereas retailers expecting stable performance (36.7%) and those anticipating a favourable outlook (17.6%) together accounted for 54.3% of the total.