1 March 2024

Short-term Stock and Inventory Survey (ECSE)

Fourth Quarter 2023 and year 2023. Provisional data

Principales resultados

The annual rate of the index for inventory levels of goods in the Trade sector stood at 4.3% in the fourth quarter.
Within the third quarter, the month of October recorded the highest annual growth rate, with 6.0%.
Throughout 2023, inventory levels of goods in the Trade sector increased by 9.9%.

Más información

Quarterly evolution of inventory levels in the Trade sector

The general index of inventory levels of goods in the Trade sector registered an annual variation of 4.3% in the fourth quarter of 2023. This rate was 3.7 points lower than that recorded for the third quarter.

General index of inventory levels in the Trade sector

Annual rate. Percentage

All the sectors showed positive annual rates. Sale and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles recorded the highest increase (25.6%).

Throughout 2023, inventory levels of goods in the Trade sector increased by 9.9%. Sale and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles recorded the highest increase (28.7%).

Indices of inventory levels of goods in the Trade sector

General and by activity sector. 4th quarter 2023 Annual rate. Percentage

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Monthly evolution of inventory levels in the Trade sector

The general index of inventory levels of goods in the Trade sector registered an annual rate of 6.0% in October 2023. This rate was one tenth lower than that registered in September.

In November, the annual rate was 3.7%, 2.3 points lower than that recorded in October.

Finally, in December the annual rate was 3.1%, six tenths lower than that of November.

General index of inventory levels in the Trade sector

Annual rate. Percentage

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Sale and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles showed positive annual rates in the months of October, November and December.

Meanwhile, Retail trade, except for motor vehicles and motorcycles and Wholesale trade, except for motor vehicles and motorcycles registered negative rates at the end of the year.

Indices of inventory levels in the Trade sector by activity sector

Annual and year-to-date average rates. Percentage

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Reviews and data updates

Today INE updated the ECSE data for the last five months. All results of this operation are available on INEbase.

Base change

Today the INE published the last data on the Short-Term Stock and Inventory Survey in base 2015. The new 2021 base will incorporate relevant changes, among which the updating of weights and the sample stand out.

Methodological note

The main aim of the Short-Term Stock and Inventory Survey (STSIS) is to provide the information required to obtain an indicator that measures the short-term evolution of the value of the inventory levels in trade and industry.

Currently, the evolution of the inventory levels is only published in the trade section, for which an index of the value of the goods at the end of the month is calculated. The indices are published on a quarterly basis, although quarterly and monthly series are available. The publication begins with the indices of the inventory levels in trade corresponding to January 2013.

Type of survey:: continuous quarterly survey.
Base year:: 2015.
Population scope:: economic units whose main activity, classified in accordance with the CNAE-2009, is included in Section G: Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, except for group 46.1: Wholesale on a fee or contract basis.
Geographic scope:: the entire national territory, except for Ceuta and Melilla; for statistical units whose main activity corresponds to division 47 of the CNAE-2009: Retail trade, except for motor vehicles and motorcycles, also includes these autonomous cities.
Sample size:: approximately 4,900 companies from the ICM sample and 3,800 from the IASS sample.
Type of sampling:: stratified random sampling in ICM and IASS companies.
Collection method:: internet (IRIA system), e-mail, fax, telephone or postal mail.

More information on the methodology and the standardised methodological report.

INE statistics are produced in accordance with the Code of Good Practice for European Statistics. More information on Quality at INE and Code of Best Practices..

For further information see

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