LatinNews Daily - 14 February 2025

*Brazil’s national statistics institute (Ibge) has released its latest figures for retail sales, which show that the annual sales volume for 2024 was up 4.7% from the previous year, despite a slight monthly drop of 0.1% in December. Of the eight product categories measured by the Ibge, six registered annual rises in 2024. The category that saw the greatest increase was pharmaceutical, medical, and orthopaedic items, and perfumes (+14.2%). The two categories that saw an annual drop in sales from 2023 were books, newspapers, magazines, and stationery (-7.7%) and fuels and lubricants (-1.5%). In December 2024, five categories saw a monthly drop in sales, with the greatest decrease registered in office supplies and information and communications equipment (-5.0%). Even though total sales were down compared with November, the latest monthly results show a year-on-year rise from December 2023. The overall yearly increase in December 2024 came to 2.0%, with four of the eight categories posting higher sales. The most significant year-on-year increase was registered in furniture and home appliances (+10.2%).