Services - 1. quarter of 2004
Publication Date: 20. 05. 2004
Product Code: e-9006-04
Services in the 1st quarter of 2004
The growing trend of sales in services continued in the 1st quarter of 2004 (see Graph 1), even though seasonally adjusted constant price sales fell by 0.4% quarter-on-quarter . Owing to its weight, ‘total retail trade‘ (-0.6%) had a significant share in the decrease; on the other hand, ‘transport, post and telecommunications‘ and ‘selected market services‘ reported increases (+0.9% and +0.4%, respectively).
Table 1 Sales indices (corresponding period of preceding year = 100, constant prices)
In terms of y-o-y comparison, the development of the three basic branches of services – ‘total retail trade’, ‘transport, post and telecommunications’ and ‘selected market services’ – varied. Compared to the results achieved throughout 2003, the growth rate of sales in total retail trade lowered in Q1 2004. In contrast to this, transport, post and telecommunications maintained their average growth rate of 2003 and selected market services exceeded it considerably.
Table 2 Sales indices (corresponding period of preceding year = 100, constant prices)
Retail trade incl. automotive segment raised its sales by only 1.4%. The slower growth was predominantly due to the negative development in the automotive segment, where sales decreased by 1.6%. The fall was particularly affected by problems in sale of motor vehicles, especially passenger cars (-4.8%); also maintenance and repair of motor vehicles were down (-6.2%). Sale of automotive fuel rose (+4.5%), but the growth rate slowed markedly down. The contributors to higher sales in retail trade (+2.8%) was higher sale of both food (+2.6%) and non-food goods (+3.0%). From among non-food goods sold in specialised stores, sale of textiles, clothing and footwear grew most (+10.4%), followed by sale of pharmaceutical and medical goods, cosmetic and toilet articles (+5.3%). The higher sales of electronics, furniture and appliances and other household equipment (+5.2%) were mainly affected by development in February and March, when massive advertising took place, resulting in higher purchases (e.g. gardening equipment). Sales of books, newspapers and stationery, sports equipment, musical articles, computers and other non-food goods rose by only 0.8%. Among less important types of sale, sale via mail order houses reduced by 7.2% in Q1 2004 (as against a rise of 18.6% in 2003). Like all the year 2003 round, sale of second-hand goods went down (-9.6%). In hotels and restaurants , there was a change for growing trend already in Q3 2003, with a record increase being reported in Q1 2004 (+8.4%). Sales in hotels rose more (+17.6%) than sales in restaurants. The former benefited from very successful winter season. The highest sale increase was recorded in March, which was related to maximum occupancy rate in some large hotels in connection with congresses, trade fairs and other important events.
Table 3 Sales indices (corresponding period of preceding year = 100, constant prices)
The dynamic growth of sales in transport , which started in the second half of 2003, continued (+9.1%), in spite of a lower performance of goods transport via railways, affecting lower sales in goods transport via railways (-3.7%). Performances in passenger transport grew. Sales in transport by road (+6.1%) were boosted by a favourable situation in construction and increasing external trade. Good results achieved in passenger transport caused higher sales in air transport by 15.1%; this was the highest increase among all transport branches, affected particularly by irregular air transport (+47.4%), where the load factor significantly rose, reflecting higher demand to travel to recreational destinations by air. In compliance with the overall development in transport, sales in supporting and auxiliary transport activities; activities of travel agencies kept growing (+14.8%). This result was predominantly affected by activities of travel agencies, which raised their sales by 22.4%. Sales in post and telecommunications rose by 5.4%. The dynamics of growth in telecommunications slowed down (+4.6%), in consequence of relative market saturation. On the other hand, sales of postal services grew considerably (+12.4%), mainly because some previously free services were charged.
Table 4 Sales indices (corresponding period of preceding year = 100, constant prices)
Sales in computer and related activities rose since the mid-2003, growing by 7.5% in Q1 2004. Like in previous quarters, the highest dynamics were reported for software consultancy and supply (+11.0%), which was the most important sale in terms of volume. Maintenance and repair of office machinery and database activities went on reducing. Other business activities raised their sales by 5.1%, which was most since 1999. Dynamics were set by legal, accounting, bookkeeping and auditing activities, tax consultancy, and investigation and security activities; the lowest sales increase was recorded for architectural and engineering activities. Growing prices in other service activities, predominantly of personal nature , lowered the respective demand, so that constant price sales fell by 3.9%, having grown for three preceding quarters. This situation had the heaviest impact on hairdressing and other beauty treatment (-6.5%).
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CZ-NACE 50, 52, 55, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 72, 74, 93 – Services
CZ-NACE 50, 52, 55 – Total retail trade
CZ-NACE 50, 52 – Retail trade incl. automotive segment
CZ-NACE 50 – Automotive segment
CZ-NACE 52 – Retail trade
CZ-NACE 60, 61, 62, 63, 64 – Transport, post and telecommunications
CZ-NACE 72, 74, 93 – Selected market services
