At constant prices, retail sales climbed 6.1% year-on-year in March, the same pace as in February, which was the quickest growth in 21 months.

In March, motor vehicles, motorcycles, and parts grew the most by 13.5% annually, and those of solid, liquid, and gaseous fuels by 11.2%.

 On the other hand, sales of textiles, clothing, and footwear showed a sharp fall of 15.2%.

On a monthly basis, retail sales surged 14.2% in March, rebounding significantly from a 0.9% drop in the prior month.