Shanghai Reports Rise in Monthly Retail Sales

Retail sales in Shanghai amounted to 13.96 billion yuan in May, a 13.3-percent rise from the same month in 1999, according to Shanghai Municipal Statistics Bureau.

The increase is partly due to the week-long Labor Day holiday and an international garment fair in the city from May 10-18.

A survey shows that 139 of the local supermarkets, department stores, restaurants and food shops brought in 970 million yuan in sales during the week-long Labor Day vacation starting May 1, a 42. 6 percent climb over the same period in 1999.

Prior to the June 1 International Children's Day, reading materials and garments for children, toys and stationery sold especially well.

Local retail sales for food items exceeded 5.2 billion yuan in May, up over 10 percent on a yearly basis, with the volume for clothing growing by 25 percent to reach nearly 2.23 billion yuan and that for daily-use articles rising nearly 10 percent to 6.38 billion yuan.

The local catering sector had 1.08 billion yuan in business turnover in May, a 28.8-percent rise on a yearly basis.



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