Paraíba Retail Sales Show Second Highest Growth in Brazil

Retail sales in the Brazilian state of Paraíba experienced a significant increase of 1.5% between April and May of the current year. This growth rate secured Paraíba the second-highest expansion among all Brazilian states, according to the Monthly Trade Survey (PMC) released by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). Only the Federal District surpassed Paraíba with a 1.6% rise during the same period. The national average growth for retail sales was a modest 0.1%. Paraíba was among the 11 states and the Federal District that recorded positive variations in sales. When comparing May of this year to May of the previous year, Paraíba's retail sales grew by 0.6%, slightly outperforming the national growth of 0.4%. In the broader retail sector, which includes vehicles, motorcycles, parts, construction materials, and wholesale of food products, beverages, and tobacco, Paraíba also showed positive performance. In March, this expanded retail sector in Paraíba saw a 1.5% increase compared to the previous month and a 0.7% rise from the same month last year. In contrast, the national figures for the expanded retail sector showed a decrease of 0.2% month-over-month and 0.6% year-over-year. Nationally, five out of the eight surveyed retail activities reported gains in May, with notable increases in books, newspapers, magazines, stationery, textiles, apparel, footwear, and furniture and appliances, partly attributed to seasonal factors like the World Cup and Mother's Day.