Cyprus retail sales accelerate in October

According to provisional figures, retail sales volumes accelerated in October, rising by 10.7% in October 2006 over October 2005, compared with a year-on-year increase of 9% in September. 

For the period January-October 2006 the Index is provisionally estimated to have an increase of 7.1% year on year, compared with 6.7% in January-September.

Values have risen even faster, by a provisional 8.9% in Jan-October.

Retail sales volumes have risen strongly all year, with particularly strong growth in the areas of medicines and cosmetics, as well as food, beverages and tobacco in specialist stores (such as butchers and bakeries).

Furniture and white goods sales have also been strong.

After a downturn for most of 2006, sales in stores selling books, newspapers and stationary also saw a turnaround in October compared with the previous year, rising by 16.1%.