Overseas spending increased by 44.9 percent in April over the same period in 2003.

Bermuda residents returning to the Island from business and vacation trips declared $4.65 million in overseas purchases, according to the Retail Sales Index. During the same period last year, residents spent $3.2 million.

“The significant increase corresponded in part to a 33 percent rise in the volume of returning residents who declared overseas purchases in April,” the Government report on the RSI said.

It was not all gloom, however, for the total value of retail sales increased 3.6 percent during April. The gross turnover in retail sector was estimated at $45.8 million - $1.6 million more than April last year. The index for total retail sales stood at 138.4 percentage points.

After the annual rate of inflation adjustment, which was measured at 3.2 percent in April, “in real terms, the volume of retail sales increased fractionally by 0.5 percent from last year”.

“All sectors in the index experienced single-digit increases in gross revenue flows during the month,” the report said.

Liquor stores made the highest gain in April in the retail sector increasing by 6.4 percent during the month.

“This increase in sales reflected in part the upward year-to-year change in price of beer, wine and spirits, recorded at 6.5 percent in the month of April,” the report continued.

Liquor stores gained $137.1 million in April, while building and hardware outlets' gross revenue sales recorded growth by 3.1 percent over April 2003.

“This represents a significant decline from the double-digit growth rates experienced by the sector during the first three months of 2004,” the report stated.

Building and hardware outlets reported sales of $157.9 million in April a drop of $38.4 million in sales from March.

Food store sales saw an increase of 2.2 percent in April compared to last year.

All other types of stores showed “modest growth” with a combined gain of 3.9 percent.

Furniture sales increased “slightly” while appliances and electronics increased by only 1.9 percent over the previous year.

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products showed improvement but marine supplies reported a decline in April.

Sales of clothing, footwear and other apparel items grossed 3.9 percent over last year's sales.

Service stations reported that petrol and in-store sales rose to 5 percent compared to last year.