Electronic Card Transactions: July 2008

 For July 2008 compared with June 2008 (on a seasonally adjusted basis):

• The value of the total Electronic Card Transaction (ECT) series was 0.4 percent higher.
• The value of the retail ECT series was 0.8 percent higher.
• The value of the core retail ECT series was 1.2 percent higher.
• The series for retail and core ECT (in particular) have been variable since March 2008 showing alternating monthly decreases and increases.

Other highlights include:

• The trend value of the total ECT series was 5.0 percent higher in July 2008 than in July 2007; this was the slowest annual increase since the series started.
• The trend for the core retail ECT series has been flat since September 2007; by contrast the retail ECT trend has been stronger over that period due to increasing fuel prices.
• The 84 million electronic card transactions with New Zealand-based merchants in July 2008 totalled $4.6 billion

Government Statistician