ArmInfo.In January-April 2018, Armenia's trade sector slowed down its annual growth rate to 10.3% from 12.1% in 2017, to 787.5 billion AMD ($ 1.6 billion). According to the National Statistical Service of Armenia, this is due to a slowdown in the annual growth rate of retail and automobile trade, against the backdrop of accelerated growth in wholesale trade. At the same time, in April 2018, the trade turnover in Armenia showed a decline of 5.2% to 207.9 billion AMD ($ 432 million).
Wholesale trade for the reporting period increased volumes by 20.7% to 368.5 billion AMD ($ 765.5 million), against growth of 18.1% in 2017. Only in April 2018, wholesale trade turnover in Armenia decreased by 3.3% to 99.9 billion AMD.
Retail trade increased its revenues to 386.3 billion AMD ($ 802.5 million), with an increase of 1.6% per annum, against 6.2% growth in January-April 2017. In April alone, retail sales decreased by 6.9% to 99.2 billion AMD. In the structure of retail trade, the largest turnover is provided by stores (including supermarkets) - 299.9 billion AMD or 77.6% (with annual growth of 2.3%), other trade objects - 51.7 billion AMD or 13.4% (with an annual growth of 1.5%), followed by a break-out followed by consumer goods markets - 20.5 billion or 5.3% (with an annual growth of 0.1%), stalls and kiosks - 8.8 billion or 2.3% (with an annual decline of 10.2%) and agricultural markets - 5.3 billion or 1.4% (with an annual decline of 6.1%). The volume of purchase / sale of cars in January-April 2018 increased by 15% to 32.7 billion AMD ($ 67.9 million), against growth of 39.9% a year earlier. On a monthly basis, car sales / sales decreased by 5.4% to AMD 8.7 billion. -nu- In the structure of Armenia's total trade turnover, the lion's share (49%) is accounted for by retail trade, 46.8% by wholesale, and 4.2% by car buying / selling. The average settlement rate of the dram totaled 481.35 drams / $ 1 in April 2018, and 481.38 drams / $ 1 in January-April, compared to 485.14 drams / $ 1 in April 2017 and 485.62 drams / $ 1 in January -April 2017