22 December 2016
2016- n° 340In October 2016, the turnover recovered in transportation, wholesale trade and business
activities Turnover in the wholesale trade and business services - October 2016
In October 2016, the turnover bounced back strongly in transportation and storage (+3.9%) after a sharp fall in September (−5.2%). It picked up slightly in wholesale trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles (+0.2% after −0.8%) and in business support (+0.4% after −3.1%). By contrast, it fell again in real estate activities (−2.1% after −0.2%) and in information and communication (−0.7% after −0.9%).
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 October 2016, the turnover bounced back strongly in transportation and storage (+3.9%) after a sharp fall in September (−5.2%). It picked up slightly in wholesale trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles (+0.2% after −0.8%) and in business support (+0.4% after −3.1%). By contrast, it fell again in real estate activities (−2.1% after −0.2%) and in information and communication (−0.7% after −0.9%).
graphiqueGraph1 – Wholesale trade and business services

- Source: INSEE
Sharp upturn in transportation and storage
In October, the turnover of transportation and storage bounced back vigorously (+3.9%) after a marked fall in September (−5.2%). It picked up notably in water transport (+27.4% after −17.4%), warehousing and support activities for transportation (+4.1% after −5.7%) and in land transport (+3.5% after −4.1%). By contrast, the turnover shrank again in air transport (−9.8%) and in postal and courier activities (−1.6%).
The turnover of transportation and storage rose over the last three months (+0.4% q-o-q) and was practically stable over a year (−0.1% y-o-y).
Slight rebound in wholesale trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles
In October, the turnover of wholesale trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles recovered slightly (+0.2%) after a decrease in September (−0.8%). It bounced back for other specialised wholesalers (+3.0% after −1.5%), for wholesaleres on a fee or contract basis (+0.7% after −1.7%) and for wholesalers of food, beverages and tobacco (+0.4% after −0.7%). However, it declined for wholesalers of household goods (−1.1%) and for wholesalers of agricultural raw materials and live animals (−3.1%). The turnover of the wholesale trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles sector rose over the last three months (+0.4% q-o-q) and year-on-year (+0.5% y-o-y).
tableauTable1 – Variation in the turnover in wholesale trade and business services
Change in % | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
NACE rev.2 classification | Weight | Oct./ Sept. | Sept./Aug. | q-o-q (1) | y-o-y (2) |
46 Wholesale trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles | 1000 | 0.2 | −0.8 | 0.4 | 0.5 |
H Transportation and storage | 1000 | 3.9 | −5.2 | 0.4 | −0.1 |
J Information and communication | 1000 | −0.7 | −0.9 | 0.4 | 3.8 |
L Real estate activities | 1000 | −2.1 | −0.2 | 2.0 | 1.7 |
M+N Business support activities | 1000 | 0.4 | −3.1 | 2.2 | 3.5 |
M Professional, scientific and technical activities | 585 | −1.0 | −3.3 | 3.0 | 2.7 |
N Administrative and support service activities | 415 | 2.3 | −2.9 | 1.1 | 4.4 |
- (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
Moderate recovery in business support
In October, the turnover in business support activities recovered moderately (+0.4%) after a marked fall in September (−3.1%). It picked up in administrative and support service activities (+2.3% after −2.9%), particularly in office administrative, office support and other business support activities (+3.5%), travel agency, tour operator and other reservation service and related activities (+8.0%) and in employment activities (+2.0%). By contrast, the turnover declined again in professional, scientific and technical activities (−1.0% after −3.3%): it decreased in architectural and engineering activities; technical testing and analysis (−2.7%) and in other professional, scientific or technical activities (−5.8%), whereas it picked up in scientific research and development (+5.7%).
The turnover of business support rose markedly over the last three months (+2.2% q-o-q) and year on year (+3.5% y-o-y).
Marked drop in real estate activities
The turnover of real estate activities declined sharply in October (−2.1%) after a slight fall in September (−0.2%). It rose markedly over the last three months (+2.0% q-o-q) and over a year (+1.7% y-o-y).
Further fall in information and communication
The turnover in information and communication fell again in October (−0.7% after −0.9%). It decreased sharply in telecommunications (−2.0%) and shrank strongly in motion picture, video and television programme production, sound recording and music publishing activities (−6.6%). By contrast, it recovered in computer programming, consultancy and related activities (+0.9%) and in information service activities (+2.3%). The turnover in information and communication increased over the last three months (+0.4%) and sharply over the year (+3.8%).
Revisions
The variation in the turnover for September 2016 has been revised upwards by 0.5 points in real estate activities and by 0.2 points in transportation and storage. It has been revised downwards by 0.5 points in the wholesale trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles and in business support activities and by 0.3 points in information and communication. These revisions are due to those of raw data (integration of late information, including changes of sector) and to the updating of the parameters used for the seasonal and working-day adjustment (SA-WDA).
tableauTable2 – Variation of the turnover in the wholesale trade and business services
Change in % | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
NACE rev.2 Classification | Weight | Oct. 2016 | Oct./ Sept. | Sept./ Aug. | q-o-q (1) |
46 Wholesale trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles | 1000 | 107.1 | 0.2 | −0.8 | 0.4 |
461 Wholesale on a fee or contract basis | 151 | 118.3 | 0.7 | −1.7 | 0.9 |
462 Wholesale of agricultural raw materials and live animals | 55 | 102.7 | −3.1 | 0.4 | −1.8 |
463 Wholesale of food, beverages and tobacco | 173 | 114.4 | 0.4 | −0.7 | 1.3 |
464 Wholesale of household goods | 208 | 105.2 | −1.1 | −0.1 | 0.6 |
465 Wholesale of information and communication equipment | 61 | 102.6 | 0.3 | −1.1 | −1.5 |
466 Wholesale of other machinery, equipment and supplies | 126 | 109.4 | −0.7 | −0.9 | 0.8 |
467 Other specialised wholesale | 198 | 91.9 | 3.0 | −1.5 | −0.4 |
469 Non specialised wholesale trade | 28 | 131.5 | −0.6 | 2.1 | 0.4 |
H Transportation and storage | 1000 | 114.1 | 3.9 | −5.2 | 0.4 |
49 Land transport and transport via pipelines | 410 | 118.7 | 3.5 | −4.1 | 2.2 |
50 Water transport | 69 | 127.6 | 27.4 | −17.4 | −5.6 |
51 Air transport | 89 | 87.8 | −9.8 | −1.4 | 1.1 |
52 Warehousing and support activities for transportation | 366 | 116.5 | 4.1 | −5.7 | −0.1 |
53 Postal and courier activities | 66 | 93.1 | −1.6 | −0.6 | −1.9 |
J Information and communication | 1000 | 115.6 | −0.7 | −0.9 | 0.4 |
58 Publishing activities | 153 | 106.8 | 0.2 | −3.5 | 0.8 |
59 Motion picture, video and television programme production… | 73 | 105.3 | −6.6 | 0.6 | 3.4 |
60 Programming and broadcasting activities | 60 | 114.1 | 1.1 | 7.4 | −0.7 |
61 Telecommunications | 399 | 105.3 | −2.0 | −1.2 | −1.2 |
62 Computer programming, consultancy and related activities | 261 | 134.3 | 0.9 | −0.5 | 1.6 |
63 Information service activities | 54 | 142.4 | 2.3 | −4.0 | 0.8 |
L Real estate activities | 1000 | 112.2 | −2.1 | −0.2 | 2.0 |
681 Buying and selling of own real estate | 82 | 128.8 | −3.4 | 5.1 | 2.4 |
682 Renting and operating of own or leased real estate | 734 | 107.2 | −2.7 | −1.5 | 0.6 |
683 Real estate activities on a fee or contract basis | 184 | 124.7 | 0.8 | 2.2 | 7.2 |
M+N Business support activities | 1000 | 123.7 | 0.4 | −3.1 | 2.2 |
M Professional, scientific and technical activities | 585 | 119.8 | −1.0 | −3.3 | 3.0 |
69 Legal and accounting activities | 90 | 118.8 | −0.9 | 0.4 | 1.3 |
70 Activities of head offices… | 241 | 121.5 | −0.5 | −5.8 | 4.2 |
71 Architectural and engineering activities… | 142 | 115.7 | −2.7 | −3.0 | 3.0 |
72 Scientific research and development | 24 | 121.4 | 5.7 | −1.0 | 0.4 |
73 Advertising and market research | 63 | 109.3 | 0.0 | −0.3 | 1.6 |
74 Other professional, scientific and technical activities | 19 | 161.0 | −5.8 | −1.4 | 3.5 |
75 Veterinary activities | 6 | 131.2 | 0.3 | −2.5 | 3.6 |
N Administrative and support service activities | 415 | 129.2 | 2.3 | −2.9 | 1.1 |
77 Rental and leasing activities | 120 | 120.8 | 0.3 | −2.3 | 0.9 |
78 Employment activities | 74 | 135.9 | 2.0 | −2.0 | 1.9 |
79 Travel agency, tour operator… | 35 | 126.9 | 8.0 | −5.0 | 3.1 |
80 Security and investigation activities | 20 | 134.5 | 1.3 | −1.5 | 2.4 |
81 Services to buildings and landscape activities | 48 | 124.3 | 1.1 | −2.4 | 4.1 |
82 Office administrative, office support and other business support activities | 118 | 135.3 | 3.5 | −3.8 | −0.9 |
- (1) Quarter-on-quarter: last three months / previous three months.
- Source: INSEE