2019.12.0510:38:00UTC+00Slovakia Retail Sales Fall For Sixth Month

Slovakia's retail sales decreased for the sixth month in a row in October, figures from the Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic showed on Thursday.

Retail sales declined 3.3 percent year-on-year in October, following a 2.7 percent fall in September.

Sales of other goods in specialized stores declined 8.2 percent annually in October and those in specialized store and cultural and recreation goods decreased by 5.5 percent and 4.3 percent, respectively.

Meanwhile, sales of food, beverages and tobacco and automotive fuel grew by 17.6 percent and 5.1 percent, respectively.

On a monthly basis, retail sales rose 0.4 percent in October.

Separately, latest data from the statistical office showed that gross domestic product grew by a nonseasonally adjusted 1.3 percent year-on-year after a 2.2 percent increase in the previous three months.

On a quarter-on-quarter basis, the economy expanded 0.4 percent in the third quarter.

Thus, the flash estimates for the third quarter GDP were confirmed.

Further, the statistical office reported that the jobless rate rose to 5.9 percent in the third quarter from 5.7 percent in the previous quarter. In the same quarter last year, the unemployment rate was 6.4 percent.

The number of unemployed persons decreased to 161,200 in the third quarter from 175,200 in the preceding quarter.

Employment grew 0.2 percent year-on-year after a 0.5 percent increase in the previous month.