ArmInfo. In January-April 2017, the growth of Armenia's trade sector was due to the acceleration in the growth of wholesale trade and the emergence of a positive trend in retail and automobile trade. According to the National Statistical Service of Armenia, the revenue of the trade sector by May 1 was 685.8 billion AMD ($ 1.4 billion), an increase by 12.1% year-on-year, against a decline of 0.7% a year earlier. At the same time, in April 2017, trade turnover in Armenia showed a decline of 1.1% to 196.6 billion AMD ($ 405.4 million).
Wholesale trade for the reporting period increased volumes by 18.1% to 295.7 billion AMD ($ 609 million), against growth of 5.7% in 2016. Only in April 2017 the turnover of wholesale trade in Armenia increased by 0.7% to 89.5 billion AMD.
Retail trade increased its revenues to 362.1 billion AMD ($ 745.7 million), with growth of 6.2% per annum, against 4.6% decline in January-April 2016. In April alone, retail revenue decreased by 1.5% to 99.5 billion AMD. In the structure of retail trade, the largest turnover is provided by stores (including supermarkets) - 282.3 billion AMD or 78% (with annual growth of 7.7%), other retail properties - 45.2 billion AMD or 12.5% (with an annual growth of 9.6%), followed by consumer goods markets, followed by a breakdown of 19.7 billion or 5.4% (with an annual decline of 15%), stalls and kiosks - 9.4 billion or 2.6% (with an annual growth of 5.5%) and agricultural markets - 5.5 billion or 1.5% (from annual decline by 3.6%).
The volume of purchase/sale of cars in January-April 2017 increased by 39.9% to 28.034 billion AMD ($ 57.7 million), against the decline of 1.5% a year earlier. On a monthly basis, proceeds from car purchase/sale decreased by 15.2% to 7.5 billion AMD.
In the structure of common trade turnover of Armenia, the lion share (53.8%) is the share of retail trade, 43.1% - wholesale and 4.1% on purchase/sale of cars.
The average exchange rate for AMD was 485.14 AMD/USD1 in April, 2017, and 485.62 AMD/USD1 in January-April, compared to 481.27 AMD/USD1 in April 2016 and 486.82 AMD/USD1 in January -April 2016 In April 2015, the rate was 474.07 AMD/USD1, and in January-April 2015 - 476.46 AMD/USD1.
