By Jamie McGeever
BRASILIA, Apr 13 (Reuters) – Brazilian retail sales rose in February for the first time in three months, official figures showed on Tuesday, led by sales of school supplies as children returned to classes, furniture and appliances and clothing.
The 0.6% monthly increase was exactly in line with the consensus forecast in a Reuters poll of economists, while the 3.8% drop compared to the same month last year was almost in line with the forecast. 3.9% of the survey.
Researchers from the government statistics agency IBGE said the increase was largely due to a 15.4% rise in spending on books, magazines and stationery when the school term began across the country.
The sale of furniture and electrical items increased 9.3% in the month; that of clothing and footwear rose 7.8%; and that of supermarkets, food and beverages and tobacco grew by 0.8%, according to IBGE.
These were the four of the eight segments covered by IBGE that showed an increase in sales in February. Among the four segments that registered a fall was fuel, which fell 0.4% in the month.
Since rebounding to record levels in October last year, retail sales volume in Latin America’s largest economy has fallen 5.7%, IBGE said.
On a broader basis, including cars and building materials, retail sales in February were up 4.1% and down 1.9% from February last year, IBGE said.
By this measure, retail sales in Brazil were still 3.5% below their peak in August 2012, IBGE said.
(Edited in Spanish by Juana Casas)
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