Information from the Statistics and Census Service indicated that value of retail sales for the fourth quarter of 2010 amounted to MOP 8.18 billion, up by 25% year-on-year. Retail sales of Watches, Clocks & Jewellery (MOP 1.91 billion) took the largest share of 23%, as followed by sales of Goods in Department Stores (16%), Adults' Clothing (11%), Leather Goods (10%), Motor Vehicles and Goods in Supermarkets (7% each), Cosmetics & Sanitary Articles (4%) and Automotive Fuels (3%). In comparison with the revised figure (MOP 7.53 billion) in the third quarter, value of retail sales for the fourth quarter of 2010 increased by 9%, with marked increase in the retail sales of Adults' Clothing (+34%), Cosmetics & Sanitary Articles (+33%) and Goods in Department Stores (+21%). For the whole year of 2010, total value of retail sales reached MOP29.50 billion, up notably by 32% compared with MOP22.35 billion in 2009, with significant increase being observed in the retail sales of Leather Goods (+64%), Watches, Clocks & Jewellery (+48%) and Motor Vehicles (+43%). After removing the effect of price changes, volume of retail sales for the fourth quarter of 2010 rose by 16% year-on-year, with remarkable increase being observed in the sales volume of Footwear (+47%), Leather Goods (+44%), Cosmetics & Sanitary Articles (+44%) and Adults' Clothing (+30%). Volume of retail sales for the fourth quarter of 2010 registered a quarter-to-quarter increase of 5%, with that of Cosmetics & Sanitary Articles rising by 35%, Footwear by 30%, Adults' Clothing by 28%. For the whole year of 2010, volume of retail sales soared by 22% from 2009, of which retail sales volume of Leather Goods surged by 55% year-on-year. In the fourth quarter of 2010, about 19% of the retailers reported decrease in the sales volume from the third quarter, down by 25 percentage points from the previous quarter; besides, 81% stated that the sales volume remained stable or showed increase. In terms of retail prices, about 52% noted that the prices were stable, 36% stated that the prices increased whereas 12% reported the prices decreased. Compared with the fourth quarter of 2009, about 68% expressed that the stock level was normal in the fourth quarter of 2010, while 12% indicated that the stock level was low. Regarding the business outlook for the first quarter of 2011, about 79% anticipate that the sales volume will increase or remain stable compared with the fourth quarter of 2010, while 21% expect a decrease. Meanwhile, about 89% predict that the retail prices will remain stable or increase whereas 11% forecast a decrease.
