Sales Index Rises for third quarter

TIRANA, Dec.8- Albania’s sales index, which covers sales in the industrial and services sectors, rose by 10.9% in the third quarter as compared to a quarter earlier, official data released by the National Statistics Institute (INSTAT) showed.
The index was 18.2 % higher than in the same quarter year-on-year, INSTAT said in a report. “Sales in service sector rose over the quarter, while sales in the industry sector, except the processing industry, fell.
The trade, hotel and restaurant industry accounted for some 65.7% of the total increase,” the report said. The sales index in the trade, hotel and restaurant sector went up by 16.1% on the quarter.
“The highest rise in sales over the first nine months was recorded in August when the index was 15.6% higher than the nine month average,” INSTAT said, but gave no average figures.