In March 2015, the turnover improved in the wholesale trade and in business support activitiesTurnover in the wholesale trade and business services - March 2015
In March 2015, the turnover improved in the wholesale trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles (+0.4%) and in business support activities (+0.9%). It increased also in transportation and storage (+0.9%) and more sharply in real estate activities (+2.1%). It remained virtually stable in information and communication (–0.1%).
Every index in this issue is in value (tax excluded), seasonally and working day adjusted (SA-WDA). The commentary shows variations of subsections by decreasing contribution. The contribution of a subsection depends on the extent of the change and on its weight.
In March 2015, the turnover improved in the wholesale trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles (+0.4%) and in business support activities (+0.9%). It increased also in transportation and storage (+0.9%) and more sharply in real estate activities (+2.1%). It remained virtually stable in information and communication (–0.1%).
graphique Graph1_anglais – Wholesale trade and business services
- Source: INSEE
Increase in the wholesale trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles
In March, the turnover of the wholesale trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles increased slightly (+0.4%), after a stability in February. It went up in other specialised wholesale (+1.2%) and in the wholesale of food, beverages and tobacco (+0.7%), agricultural raw materials and live animals (+2.0%) and other machinery, equipment and supplies (+0.8%). It shrank in the wholesale of household goods (–0.4%) and in the wholesale on a fee or contract basis (–0.3%).
The turnover of the wholesale trade remained almost unchanged over the last quarter (+0.1%) and declined over the year (–1.7%).
New increase in transportation and storage
In March, the turnover of transportation and storage rose again (+0.9% after +0.3% in February). It went up in land transport and transport via pipelines (+1.4%), in warehousing and support activities for transportation (+1.1%) and in air transport (+0.9%). Conversely, it diminished in water transport (–1.2%) and in postal and courier activities (–0.8%).
The turnover of transportation and storage held steady over the last quarter and improved over the year (+0.7%).
Acceleration in real estate activities
The turnover of real estate activities improved again and more markedly in March (+2.1% after +0.9% in February). It increased over the last quarter (+1.2%) and more slightly over the year (+0.2%).
tableau Tab1_anglais – Variation of the turnover in the wholesale trade and business services
| Change in % | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nace classification | Weight | Mar./ Feb. | Feb./ Jan. | q-o-q (1) | y-o-y (2) |
| 46 Wholesale trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles | 1000 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.1 | –1.7 |
| H Transportation and storage | 1000 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.7 |
| J Information and communication | 1000 | –0.1 | –0.5 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| L Real estate activities | 1000 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 1.2 | 0.2 |
| M+N Business support activities | 1000 | 0.9 | 0.4 | –0.3 | 1.3 |
| M Professional, scientific and technical activities | 579 | 1.2 | 0.5 | –0.6 | 1.4 |
| N Administrative and support service activities | 421 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 1.2 |
- (1) Quarter-on-quarter: last three months / previous three months
- (2) Year-on-year : last three months / same three months of previous year
- The codes correspond to different levels of aggregation of the NACE classification.
- Source: INSEE
Virtual stability in information and communication
In March, the turnover of the information and communication sector was virtually stable (–0.1%) after a decrease in February (–0.5%). It diminished in telecommunications (–0.7%), in computer programming, consultancy and related activities (–0.7%) and in programming and broadcasting activities (–0.5%). On the contrary, it rose in publishing activities (+1.4%), in motion picture, video and television programme production (+1.1%) and in information service activities (+1.3%).
The turnover of information and communication increased over the last quarter (+1.0%) as well as over the year (+1.0%).
New increase in business support activities
The turnover of business support activities improved again in March (+0.9% after +0.4% in February).
The turnover went up in professional, scientific and technical activities (+1.2%), especially in legal and accounting activities (+4.9%), in advertising and market research (+2.5%) and in architectural and engineering activities (+0.4%). The turnover also increased in administrative and support service activities (+0.4%): it grew in office administrative, office support and other business support activities (+0.5%) and in employment activities (+0.8%).
The turnover of business support activities decreased slightly over the last quarter (–0.3%) but increased over the year (+1.3%).
Revisions
The change in February was revised by +0.4 points in real estate activities. Initially calculated at +0.5%, it was revised at +0.9%. That same month, the change was revised by +0.1 points in transportation and storage and in business support activities. It remained unchanged in the wholesale trade, except for motor vehicles and motorcycles and in information and communication.
tableau Tab2_anglais – Variation of the turnover in the wholesale trade and business services
| Change in % | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nace Classification | Weight | Mar./ 2015 | Mar./ Feb. | Feb./ Jan. | q-o-q (1) |
| 46 Wholesale trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles | 1000 | 109.2 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.1 |
| 461 Wholesale on a fee or contract basis | 152 | 116.5 | –0.3 | 2.0 | –1.1 |
| 462 Wholesale of agricultural raw materials and live animals | 54 | 120.8 | 2.0 | 0.2 | 5.2 |
| 463 Wholesale of food, beverages and tobacco | 170 | 111.7 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 464 Wholesale of household goods | 207 | 107.5 | –0.4 | 1.1 | 0.1 |
| 465 Wholesale of information and communication equipment | 61 | 99.6 | 0.3 | –6.0 | 1.7 |
| 466 Wholesale of other machinery, equipment and supplies | 125 | 111.3 | 0.8 | –0.3 | –0.5 |
| 467 Other specialised wholesale | 197 | 101.2 | 1.2 | –1.3 | –0.4 |
| 469 Non specialised wholesale trade | 34 | 111.0 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 0.6 |
| H Transportation and storage | 1000 | 109.4 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| 49 Land transport and transport via pipelines | 407 | 110.0 | 1.4 | 1.1 | –0.1 |
| 50 Water transport | 73 | 117.1 | –1.2 | –1.9 | 0.1 |
| 51 Air transport | 91 | 107.4 | 0.9 | 1.7 | 2.9 |
| 52 Warehousing and support activities for transportation | 360 | 109.7 | 1.1 | –0.3 | –0.5 |
| 53 Postal and courier activities | 69 | 98.7 | –0.8 | –0.2 | –1.0 |
| J Information and communication | 1000 | 103.8 | –0.1 | –0.5 | 1.0 |
| 58 Publishing activities | 158 | 104.8 | 1.4 | –1.4 | 1.2 |
| 59 Motion picture, video and television programme production… | 76 | 105.1 | 1.1 | –3.1 | 0.6 |
| 60 Programming and broadcasting activities | 61 | 104.3 | –0.5 | –2.9 | –0.9 |
| 61 Telecommunications | 396 | 93.3 | –0.7 | 0.5 | 0.6 |
| 62 Computer programming, consultancy and related activities | 251 | 117.9 | –0.7 | –0.2 | 2.2 |
| 63 Information service activities | 58 | 109.0 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 0.4 |
| L Real estate activities | 1000 | 104.8 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 1.2 |
| 681 Buying and selling of own real estate | 96 | 86.0 | 3.0 | 0.5 | 2.2 |
| 682 Renting and operating of own or leased real estate | 691 | 108.2 | 2.2 | 1.2 | 1.5 |
| 683 Real estate activities on a fee or contract basis | 213 | 102.2 | 1.2 | –0.2 | 0.0 |
| M+N Business support activities | 1000 | 112.5 | 0.9 | 0.4 | –0.3 |
| M Professional, scientific and technical activities | 579 | 112.5 | 1.2 | 0.5 | –0.6 |
| 69 Legal and accounting activities | 90 | 112.0 | 4.9 | 0.6 | 1.0 |
| 70 Activities of head offices… | 219 | 117.5 | 0.0 | –0.3 | –1.3 |
| 71 Architectural and engineering activities… | 151 | 109.4 | 0.4 | 1.3 | –1.1 |
| 72 Scientific research and development | 26 | 107.7 | 2.4 | 1.5 | 1.0 |
| 73 Advertising and market research | 68 | 104.7 | 2.5 | –0.1 | 0.0 |
| 74 Other professional, scientific and technical activities | 19 | 114.6 | 0.6 | 5.5 | –1.5 |
| 75 Veterinary activities | 6 | 117.5 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.6 |
| N Administrative and support service activities | 421 | 112.5 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.2 |
| 77 Rental and leasing activities | 98 | 111.4 | –0.4 | 1.0 | 0.2 |
| 78 Employment activities | 80 | 110.1 | 0.8 | 1.8 | –0.5 |
| 79 Travel agency, tour operator… | 42 | 105.8 | –0.2 | 1.1 | 0.5 |
| 80 Security and investigation activities | 21 | 116.7 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 0.3 |
| 81 Services to buildings and landscape activities | 50 | 112.2 | 1.0 | –0.4 | 0.0 |
| 82 Office administrative, office support and other business support activities | 131 | 116.5 | 0.5 | –1.7 | 0.5 |
- (1) Quarter-on-quarter: last three months / previous three months.
- Source: INSEE