Retail sales in April fell 4.1% year on year

The sales in retail outlets last month totaled 1.559,4 billion lei, a 5.6% increase in real terms from a month earlier and a 4.1% decrease compared with April 2008, the National Bureau of Statistics says, quoted by Info-Prim Neo. The sales of consumer goods during January-April this year came to 5.758,9 billion, a 4.1% decline compared with the corresponding period last year. The sales of nonfood products, which make up 61.8% of the retail sales, fell by 10.1%. The retail sales at public, joint (public and private) and private companies decreased by 17.5%, 10.4% and, respectively, 8.5%, while at joint outlets with foreign participation and at foreign companies – by 7.9%. The stores of goods in retail outlets on May 1, 2009 added up to 4.813,7 billion lei, up 16.7% from May 1, 2008. The municipality of Chisinau accounted for 57.8% of the retail sales, Balti municipality – for 8.5%, the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia – for 2.9%, Orhei district – for 2.2%, Cahul district – for 1.9%, Ungheni district – for 1.8%, Edinet – for 1.7%, while Soroca destruct – for 1.6%. The services provided by the officially registered units for the population for payment in April came to 986.9 million lei, up 5.5% in real terms from March and 1.9% from April 2008. The officially registered units over January-April this year provided services for payment to the value of 4.134,2 billion lei, an increase of 0.6% in comparable prices compared with January-April last year.