KUALA LUMPUR: Wholesale and retail trade sales recorded a growth of 7.2 per cent to RM104.7 billion in September 2018 compared with the same month last year, due to double-digit growth of 10.5 per cent in retail trade, says the Statistics Department.
In a statement, Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the expansion was propelled by sales in specialised stores, sales in non-specialised stores, sales of cultural and recreation goods in specialised stores, retail sales of automotive fuel, and sales of food, beverages and tobacco in specialised stores.
He said month-on-month, however, the sales value declined 2.9 per cent due to contraction in the sales value of motor vehicles and retail trade of 17.1 per cent and 5.3 per cent respectively, caused by advanced buying by customers prior to the implementation of the Sales and Services Tax in September.
“On the other hand, sales value for wholesale trade rose 2.9 per cent within the same period, whereby in terms of volume index, it recorded 169.6 points, up 7.1 per cent against the same month of the previous year,” it said.
In a separate statement, the department said the services sector’s revenue was 9.3 per cent higher at RM423.5 billion for the third quarter this year compared with the same period of 2017, driven by the wholesale & retail trade, food & beverages and accommodation segment, as well as the information & communication and transportation & storage segments.
It said the number of persons engaged in the services sector during the period under review was 3.67 million, an increase of 2.7 per cent over the same quarter of the previous year. – Bernama
Salaries and wages paid amounted to RM24.3 billion, 3.9 per cent higher than the previous year, it added. –Bernama
