Motor trade sales decrease: Stats SA

Annual motor trade sales decreased by 1.1 percent year-on-year in May, Statistics SA said on Thursday (17/07/2014).

"The largest negative annual growth rates were recorded for new vehicle sales (-7.6 percent) and used vehicle sales (-3 percent)," Stats SA said.

"Seasonally adjusted motor trade sales increased by 0.6 percent in May 2014 compared with April 2014. This followed month-on-month changes of -0.4 percent in April 2014 and -0.1 percent in March 2014."

Seasonally adjusted motor trade sales increased by 1.4 percent in the three months ended in May 2014 compared with the previous three months.

Motor trade sales increased by 0.2 percent for the three months that ended May 2014 compared with the three months ended May 2013.

"The main contributor to this increase was fuel sales -- 5.9 percent and contributing 1.6 percentage points," Stats SA said. - Sapa