Christchurch retail activity has risen strongly for a second
consecutive quarter, bucking national trends, according to
latest figures.
Total retail activity in the recovering city increased 2.1
per cent in the September 2012 quarter, on the back of a 2.5
per cent jump in the previous quarter, Statistics New Zealand
says.
It compares with a 0.8 percent fall at the national level,
with shoppers behind the Christchurch success.
Accommodation and food services are also up 1.6 percent and
4.8 per cent respectively.
"Christchurch's sales growth fell behind the rest of the
country after the quakes began," said industry and labour
statistics manager Tehseen Islam.
"But strong rises in the past two quarters, coupled with this
quarter's decrease in national retail figures, has helped to
narrow that gap."
Since the June 2010 quarter, before the earthquakes began,
Christchurch's total retail activity has risen 6.8 percent,
compared with the national increase of 8.0 percent.
The Christchurch retail trade indicator is an experimental
series released by Statistics NZ to provide information on
the state of the Christchurch retail trade industry after the
Canterbury earthquakes.
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