According to the report from Federal Statistical Office (FSO), real turnover in the retail sector also adjusted for sales days and holidays fell by 1.7% in May 2019 compared with the previous year. Real growth takes inflation into consideration. Economists had expected a 0.4% decrease. Compared with the previous month, real, seasonally adjusted retail trade turnover registered a decline of 1.3%.

Turnover in the retail sector fell by 1.6% in nominal terms in May 2019 compared with the previous year. Seasonally adjusted, nominal turnover fell by 1.5% compared with the previous month. 

Adjusted for sales days and holidays, the retail sector excluding service stations showed a 1.7% decrease in nominal turnover in May 2019 compared with May 2018 (in real terms -1.9%).

Excluding service stations, the retail sector showed a seasonally adjusted decline in nominal turnover of 1.5% compared with the previous month (in real terms -1.4%).