Turnover adjusted for sales days and holidays fell in the retail sector by 0.9% in nominal terms in January 2021 compared with the previous year. Seasonally adjusted, nominal turnover fell by 4.9% compared with the previous month. The economic sectors were affected to varying degrees. These are some of the findings from the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).

Real turnover adjusted for sales days and holidays fell in the retail sector by 0.5% in January 2021 compared with the previous year. Real growth takes inflation into consideration. Compared with the previous month, real, seasonally adjusted retail trade turnover registered a decline of 5.3%.

Non-food sector with a severe loss in turnover

While retail sales of food, drinks and tobacco recorded an increase in nominal turnover of 13.7% (in real terms +13.9%) the non-food sector registered a nominal minus of 10.4% (in real terms –10.1%). The sectors “other goods (clothing, chemists, watches and jewellery)” (–19.2%; in real terms –18.9%), “cultural and recreation goods in specialised stores” (–14.6%; in real terms –15.1%) as well as the sector “other household equipment, textiles, DIY and furniture” (–7.2%; in real terms –7.4%) were particularly affected by the measures introduced by the authorities to contain the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. In contrast, the sectors “information and communication equipment” (+32.3%; +41.0% in real terms) and “market stalls, retail sale via mail order houses or via internet” (+21.8%; + 21.9% in real terms) were able to report positive turnover figures.

Adjusted for sales days and holidays, the retail sector excluding service stations registered a 1.0% growth in nominal turnover in January 2021 compared with January 2020 (+1.3% in real terms). The result for service stations was a loss of turnover of 22.2% (in real terms –16.4%).

Excluding service stations, the retail sector showed a seasonally adjusted decline in nominal turnover of 5.1% compared with the previous month (in real terms –5.5%). Retail sales of food, drinks and tobacco registered a nominal minus of 1.2% (in real terms –0.9%). The non-food sector showed a minus of 11.0% (in real terms –11.6%).

The consumer price index (CPI) increased by 0.1% in January 2021 compared with the previous month, reaching 100.1 points (December 2020 = 100). Inflation was –0.5% compared with the same month of the previous year. These are the results of the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).

The 0.1% increase compared with the previous month is due to several factors including rising prices for hotel accommodation. Fuel also recorded a price increase, as did second-hand cars. In contrast, prices for air transport and clothing and footwear decreased, the latter due to seasonal sales.
 

The Swiss residential property price index (IMPI) increased in the 4th quarter 2020 compared with the previous quarter by 2.3% and reached 103.1 points (4th quarter 2019 = 100). Compared with the same quarter of the previous year, inflation was 3.1%. The average annual inflation rate for residential property in 2020 was 2.5%. These are some the results from the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).

The average annual inflation rate of the IMPI for 2020 of 2.5% corresponds to the rate of change between the annual average for 2020 and that for 2019. The annual average is calculated as the arithmetic average value of the four quarterly indices of the calendar year. The prices of single-family houses increased last year on average by 2.8% and those of condominiums by an average of 2.2%.

In the fourth quarter of 2020 the increase of the IMPI compared with the previous quarter was 2.3%. The prices for both single-family houses (+1.5%) and condominiums (+3.1%) increased. Both market segments showed higher prices in all municipality types than in the previous quarter. The increase in prices for single-family houses was particularly marked in intermediary municipalities (+2.4%). The prices for condominiums increased most in the rural municipalities (+5.2%).

In week 52 of 2020 (21 to 27 December inclusive), there were 3.8 thousand deaths. The number of deaths rose further among people receiving long-term care. In this group, almost 40 percent more deaths were recorded than the expected number for this period. Mortality among the rest of the population is almost normal for this time of year. Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reports this based on the provisional weekly figures on mortality.

Weekly mortality has been higher than expected since week 39. During the second epidemic wave (weeks 39 to 52 inclusive), altogether 6.7 thousand more deaths were recorded than would normally be expected in this period.
 

The Central Statistics Office's publication, "Irish Health Survey 2019 - Persons with Disabilities’, provides data and insights on the self-reported health status of persons with disabilities in Ireland and the extent to which they can rely on informal social supports (assistance from neighbours for example). The publication also outlines, for those aged 55 years and older, the extent to which persons with disabilities experience difficulties with certain personal care and household activities.

Today’s publication is the third and final in a series of health publications based on the Irish Health Survey from 2019. December 07 saw the publication of “Irish Health Survey – Carers and Social Supports”, while on 11 December the CSO published “Irish Health Survey 2019 – Main Results”. The data collection for this publication (and the previous two in the series) occurred from July 2019 to February 2020 and so relates to the pre-pandemic health and other experiences of respondents.