Summary
In July 2008 the seasonally adjusted index for retail trade turnover at constant prices registered a year-on-year growth rate of 1.9%. The same index had recorded a negative variation in June (-1.6%). The different behaviour observed in these two months was partly due to the reduction of the standard VAT rate preannounced for the 1st July . In July, employment, wages and salaries and the number of hours worked adjusted for working days year-on-year growth rate was 2.3%, 6.8% and 1.4%, respectively.