According to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), sales value of Wholesale and Retail Trade recorded RM115.5 billion in December 2020, registering -0.3 percent contraction Year-on-Year (YoY).
The contraction was due to retail and wholesale trade registering a decline of 2.0 percent (RM0.9 billion) and 0.6 percent (RM0.3 billion), respectively. Meanwhile, motor vehicle trade increased by 7.4 percent (RM0.9 billion).
The volume index of Wholesale and Retail Trade recorded a -0.7 percent YoY to register 133.8 points.
In terms of seasonally adjusted volume index, the wholesale and retail trade increased by 1.3 percent Month-on-Month.
Wholesale trade generated sales value of RM55.3 billion in December 2020, a decline of RM0.3 billion (-0.6 percent) from December 2019.
Other Specialised Wholesale and Wholesale on a Fee or Contract Basis saw a decline of 6.4 percent as compared to the previous year. For monthly comparisons, sales of this sub-sector increased by 4.8 percent.
Retail trade sales recorded a negative growth of 2.0 percent as compared to December 2019.
Retail sale of automotive fuel in specialised stores (-10.5 percent), retail sale of other goods in specialised stores (-6.4 percent), and retail sale of cultural and recreation goods in specialised stores (-4.9 percent) contributed to the decline.
Sales of this sub-sector increased by 4.5 percent as compared to November 2020.
Volume index of retail trade declined by -2.9 percent registering 145.3 points as compared to December 2019.
Retail sale of automotive fuel in specialised stores (-9.1 percent), retail sale of other goods in specialised stores (-7.7 percent) and retail sale of cultural & recreation goods in specialised stores (-5.5 percent) contributed to the decline.
In terms of seasonally adjusted volume index, Retail Trade increased by 0.9 percent as compared to November 2020.
Sales value of motor vehicles sub-sector registered a 7.4 percent YoY. Sale of motor vehicles (15.3 percent), and the sale, maintenance and repair of motorcycles (6.9 percent) contributed to the increase. Sales of this sub-sector increased by 4.4 percent month-on-month.
The volume index of motor vehicles increased by 6.0 percent YoY to register 108.9 points as compared to the previous month. Sale of motor vehicles (16.1 percent), and sale, maintenance and repair of motorcycles (6.6 percent) contributed to the increase in the volume index.
In terms of seasonally adjusted volume, this sub-sector increased by 4.6 percent month-on-month.
