KEY POINTS:
The value of all electronic card transactions increased a seasonally adjusted 1.2 per cent in May from April, Statistics New Zealand said today.
In May 2008, there were 86 million electronic transactions, totalling $4.7 billion.
The main contributors to the increase were the vehicle-related and consumables industries.
There were also significant increases in May in the value of transactions for the durables and hospitality industries.
The trend for the electronic card retail series was 6.0 per cent higher in May 2008 compared to May 2007.
This increase was the smallest since the series began in October 2002.
Easter generally falls in April but occasionally occurs in March, as it did this year and may have skewed the results in March, April and May, the department said.
These stats show the number and value of debit, credit and charge card transactions with New Zealand-based merchants.
It is a census of all card transactions processed within New Zealand and includes transactions by overseas card-holders in this country, but not those by New Zealanders overseas.
- NZPA
