Trade in 2017 Activity remains dynamic, prices on the rise again

In 2017, activity in the commercial sectors increased for the third consecutive year. In wholesale trade, sales remained buoyant (+2.2% in volume versus +2.1%), in particular in trade in capital goods and food products. In retail trade, they are slightly less vigorous than in 2016 (+1.2% in volume versus +1.4%). Distance selling (especially on the Internet) is developing swiftly and gaining market share. Lastly, the vitality of automobile sales and repair continued (+5.1% in volume versus +6.5%), as the recovery in new car sales that began in 2015 continued into 2017. For the first time since 2012, prices are rising in all three major sectors of trade, and consequently, sales are dynamic in value.