CAPE TOWN: The Stats SA reported on Thursday that wholesale trade sales rose 3.1 percent in February compared to January this year.
Sales fell by 0.4% in February this year compared to February last year. The monthly increase bodes well for the outlook for retail sales, which on Wednesday were reported to be up a better than expected 1.9 percent months on month and a surprising 4.2 percent year on year.
Seasonally adjusted wholesale trade sales decreased by 0.9 percent in the three months ended February 2015 compared with the previous three months. Measured at current prices, wholesale trade rose 0.4 percent in February this year compared to February last year, with dealers in other goods recording the most growth at 22.1 percent.