KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 10 ― The volume index of wholesale and retail trade rebounded 32.1 per cent to register 129.2 points in the third quarter (Q3) of 2020 compared to 2Q 2020 after a contraction of 23.2 per cent in the second quarter (Q2 2020).
Year-on-year, the volume index improved to record -2.1 per cent from -23.4 per cent in the previous quarter, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).
Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin, in a statement today, said across sub-sectors, volume index of motor vehicles jumped 107.1 per cent in Q3 against the previous quarter, fuelled by the 135.5 per cent surge in motor vehicle sales.
This was followed by sales of parts & accessories with 91.6 per cent growth and maintenance & repair of motor vehicles, which expanded 83.8 per cent within the same period.
Meanwhile, the volume index of retail trade recorded a 27.9 per cent growth against the previous quarter, pushed up by retail sale of other goods in specialised stores (48 per cent), retail sale of automotive fuel in specialised stores (42.7 per cent) and retail sale of other household equipment in specialised stores (42.3 per cent).
Year-on-year comparison, the volume index saw a recovery at -2.6 per cent in Q3 from -21.2 per cent in Q2.
“Volume index of wholesale trade sub-sector was also on positive track to record 23.8 per cent in Q3 compared to Q2 of the same year.
The growth was attributed to other specialised wholesale and wholesale of machinery, equipment & supplies which registered 38.8 per cent and 34.0 per cent, respectively,” Mohd Uzir said.
For year-on-year, volume index of wholesale trade declined at a slower pace of -3.5 per cent.
“As for seasonally adjusted volume index of wholesale & retail trade, it grew 31.6 per cent against Q2. This growth was underpinned by motor vehicles sub-sector of 106.7 per cent.
“Retail trade and wholesale trade sub-sectors also advanced 27.1 per cent and 23.1 per cent, respectively, compared to the previous quarter,” he noted. ― Bernama
