Overview

• Sales slipped 0.2% compared with the second quarter, according to Stone’s Índice do Varejo Stone.
• September rose 0.5% from August after a 1.2% drop the month before, leaving the month roughly stable year over year.
• Five of eight segments advanced in September, led by books and stationery (+6.9%), construction materials (+4.2%), and furniture and appliances (+2.6%).
• On annual comparisons, books and stationery rose 3.6% and fuels 2.8%, while hypermarkets and supermarkets fell 2.4% and construction materials 1.0%.
• Ten states posted annual growth led by Acre (+6.5%) and Amapá (+5.1%), while Rio Grande do Norte (-4.8%) and Alagoas (-3.8%) led the declines, with Pernambuco and Bahia stable.