* Brazil’s national statistics institute (Ibge) has released the latest figures on the retail sector, according to which retail trade grew 1.8% in April compared with March. In year-on-year terms, retail trade expanded 23.8% – a high figure explained by the low basis of comparison, as retail plunged to the lowest levels on record in April 2020 with the onset of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. In the 12 months to April 2021, retail trade has grown 3.6%, and is now 0.9% above pre-pandemic levels. According to the Ibge, seven of the eight retail categories saw positive activity in April compared with March; only the supermarket, food & drink category, which accounts for 49.2% of total retail trade, shrank, with activity falling 1.7% in April compared with March.
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