According to the flash report of the Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH), the volume of retail sales increased for the second month in a row: after growth of 3.4 percent was recorded in April, sales were 2.5 percent higher in May, in comparison to the same period of the previous year. In view of preliminary data, the turnover of stores that sell food, beverages and tobacco products was up by 0.9 percent year-on-year.

After registering flat growth in April, in May the volume of non-food retail sales increased by 2.1 percent year-on-year. Sales of fuel and electricity were higher again, this time by 6.8 percent.

In light of preliminary data, the positive trend in place since the beginning of the year is continuing, as after the year-on-year decreases of the previous months the indicator jumped high in April and the reading for May reinforced the tendency. 



The increase in domestic consumption may result from the higher amount of disposable income available to households thanks to increases in real wages and cuts in public utility tariffs.
Ministry for National Economy

(Ministry for National Economy)