23 May 2017
2017- n° 136In May 2017, the business climate gets better in retail trade and in trade and repair
of motor vehicles Monthly survey of retailing - May 2017
According to the managers in retail trade and in trade and repair of motor vehicles, the business climate has got better in May 2017. The composite indicator that measures it has gained two points compared to April and stands at 104. It has remained above its long-term average (100) or equal to it since May 2015.
According to the managers in retail trade and in trade and repair of motor vehicles, the business climate has got better in May 2017. The composite indicator that measures it has gained two points compared to April and stands at 104. It has remained above its long-term average (100) or equal to it since May 2015.
graphiqueChart_1 – Business climate synthetic indicator
More retailers indicate a rise in their past sales
More managers than in April have declared a rise in their recent sales; the corresponding balance has recovered and has gone back slightly above its average. They remain optimistic for the next few months: each of the balances on ordering intentions and general business outlook has risen while it was already above its average. The balance on expected sales has slightly declined but remains above its average.
The level of stocks is estimated lower, below its standard level from now on. More traders than on the last interrogation have indicated a fall in their past and future prices.
The balance concerning cash position has improved a little, slightly above its mean level.
tableauTable_1 – Tendency in retail trade and in trade and repair of motor vehicles
| Ave. (1) | Feb. 17 | Mar. 17 | Apr. 17 | May 17 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business climate | 100 | 104 | 106 | 102 | 104 |
| General business outlook | –29 | –20 | –21 | –18 | –16 |
| Recent sales | –7 | 5 | –2 | –12 | –5 |
| Expected sales | –2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| Ordering intentions | –8 | –3 | –1 | –5 | –1 |
| Stocks | 11 | 11 | 11 | 16 | 9 |
| Past selling prices (2) | –6 | 0 | –5 | ||
| Expected selling prices | –3 | –4 | 0 | –3 | –9 |
| Cash position (2) | –15 | –14 | –13 | ||
| Workforce size: recent trend | 1 | –3 | 2 | –1 | –1 |
| Workforce size: future trend | –3 | –4 | –1 | –5 | –5 |
- (1) Average since 1991 (2004 for recent and expected sales and ordering intentions).
- (2) Bi-monthly question (odd-numbered months).
- Source: INSEE - monthly survey in retail trade and in trade and repair of motor vehicles
graphiqueChart_2 – Recent sales and ordering intentions
Stability in balances concerning employment
The balances concerning employment, past as well as expected, are unchanged. Both balances remain slightly below their average.
Revisions
The business climate of April 2017 has been revised downward by one point since its first estimate. This decrease is due to late answers from businesses which have been taken into account, especially in the retail trade.
In retail trade, the business climate stands at its average
In retail trade, the business climate is practically stable: the composite indicator that measures it has gained one point and stands at its long-term average (100).
In non-specialised retail trade, the balance concerning past sales has significantly recovered after a fall in April, and has gone above its average again. In non-specialised trade, this balance has remained very low for three months; in May it is especially low in domestic goods and pharmaceutical-orthopaedics sectors.
Overall, virtually as many retailers as in April expect an increase in their sales, and more of them anticipate a rise in their orders. Both balances stand above their average. The level of stocks is considered much lower, the balance going below its standard level again. More retailers than on the last interrogation have indicated a decline in their prices, over the past as well as over the next few months. The balance on cash position has been at its average since the beginning of the year.
In trade and repair of motor vehicles, the business climate has slightly weakened
In trade and repair of motor vehicles and motor cycles, the business climate indicator stands at 109 in May 2017. It has lost two points again compared to the previous month, but it still stands significantly above its mean level, which it has exceeded since the end of 2014.
The balances concerning past sales, expected sales and ordering intentions have decreased, but each of them still stands above its average. The level of stocks has been considered above its standard level for the fourth month in a row.
The balance on past prices has diminished, the one about expected prices is virtually stable. The cash situation is estimated slightly less easy than in March.
graphiqueChart_3 – Recent sales and ordering intentions in trade and repair of motor vehicles
graphiqueChart_4 – Business climate synthetic indicator in retail trade and in trade and repair of motor vehicles
tableauTable_2 – Detailed data
| Ave. (1) | Feb. 17 | Mar. 17 | Apr. 17 | May 17 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade - Global data | |||||
| Business climate | 100 | 100 | 102 | 99 | 100 |
| Gener. busin. outlook | –30 | –23 | –23 | –20 | –18 |
| Recent sales | –6 | 5 | –6 | –21 | –9 |
| Expected sales | 0 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| Ordering intentions | –7 | –3 | –3 | –7 | 0 |
| Stocks | 10 | 7 | 7 | 13 | 5 |
| Past selling prices (2) | –9 | –4 | –8 | ||
| Expected selling prices | –5 | –8 | –2 | –5 | –12 |
| Cash position (2) | –13 | –13 | –13 | ||
| Workforce size: recent trend | 2 | –3 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Workforce size: future trend | –2 | –4 | –2 | –5 | –5 |
| Non-specialised retail trade | |||||
| Recent sales | –2 | 20 | 7 | –20 | 4 |
| Expected sales | 6 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 14 |
| Ordering intentions | 1 | 5 | 9 | 2 | 13 |
| Stocks | 7 | 5 | 3 | 16 | 4 |
| Past selling prices (2) | –9 | –2 | –8 | ||
| Expected selling prices | –5 | –12 | 3 | –1 | –14 |
| Cash position (2) | –7 | –6 | –6 | ||
| Specialised retail trade | |||||
| Recent sales | –12 | –14 | –22 | –24 | –25 |
| Expected sales | –8 | –14 | –12 | –10 | –9 |
| Ordering intentions | –17 | –11 | –19 | –17 | –17 |
| Stocks | 13 | 11 | 12 | 8 | 5 |
| Past selling prices (2) | –8 | –6 | –7 | ||
| Expected selling prices | –5 | –3 | –9 | –9 | –11 |
| Cash position (2) | –23 | –22 | –21 | ||
| Trade and repair of motor cars and motorcycles | |||||
| Business climate | 100 | 110 | 113 | 111 | 109 |
| Gener. busin. outlook | –29 | –11 | –11 | –13 | –9 |
| Recent sales | –8 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 4 |
| Expected sales | –7 | 2 | 7 | 3 | –4 |
| Ordering intentions | –11 | –5 | 4 | 3 | –4 |
| Stocks | 15 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
| Past selling prices (2) | 1 | 8 | 3 | ||
| Expected selling prices | 4 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 2 |
| Cash position (2) | –24 | –13 | –15 | ||
| Workforce size: recent trend | –9 | –6 | –2 | –3 | –3 |
| Workforce size: future trend | –7 | 0 | 5 | 0 | –1 |
- (1) Average since 1991 (2003 for trade and repair of motor vehicles and 2004 for recent and expected sales and ordering intentions).
- (2) Bi-monthly question (odd-numbered months).
- Source: INSEE - monthly survey in retail trade and in trade and repair of motor vehicles
Documentation
Methodology (pdf,129 Ko)
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