Domestic trade in Armenia in H1, 2026, amounted to 3.16 trillion drams, an increase of 0.9%

YEREVAN, August 12. /ARKA/. In the first half of 2026, Armenia's domestic trade turnover reached 3,155,866.0 million drams at current prices, reflecting a 0.9% increase compared to the same period in 2025, as reported by the Statistical Committee.

In June 2026, this figure was recorded at 585.9 billion drams. This represents a slight decrease of 0.1% from June 2025, but an increase of 6.3% compared to May of this year.

During the first half of 2026, wholesale trade turnover totaled 2.01 trillion drams, making up 63.8% of the overall trade. This marked a 2.2% decline compared to January-June of the previous year. Retail turnover, on the other hand, reached 1.01 trillion drams, or 32.1% of the total, showing a 7.1% increase, while automobile sales turnover was 129.4 billion drams, accounting for 4.1%, with a rise of 6.6%.

Within the retail sector, stores dominated with 83.5% of total retail turnover, amounting to 846,883.5 million drams, which is a 6.9% increase. Consumer goods markets held a 3.8% share, with a volume of 38,544.9 million drams, reflecting a 14.0% increase. Kiosks contributed 1.3% to retail turnover, totaling 12,805.8 million drams, with a 6.6% rise. Agricultural markets represented 0.9% of the market, with a volume of 9,344.8 million drams, increasing by 11.8%. Other retail outlets accounted for 10.5%, or 106,934.0 million drams, with a 6.2% increase.

Despite a downturn in the wholesale segment, retail demand continues to bolster trade. The data reveals a notable disparity between the wholesale and retail sectors. While the overall domestic trade saw a modest growth of 0.9%, retail turnover surged by 7.1%. Conversely, wholesale trade, which constitutes nearly two-thirds of total turnover, experienced a decline of 2.2%.

This downturn in the largest segment has hindered overall trade performance, even as the consumer market remains relatively stable.

The rise in retail trade suggests that domestic consumer demand remains strong. The organized store format is the most prominent, with consumer goods and agricultural markets showing higher growth rates, even though their overall market share is still limited. This implies that most consumption is still happening in stores, yet some traditional retail channels are experiencing faster growth.

Conversely, the drop in wholesale trade may signal weaker trends in large-scale commodity movements among suppliers, importers, distributors, and businesses. Given that the wholesale sector is closely tied to foreign trade, inventory levels, and overall business activity, its decline could negatively impact related sectors such as transportation, logistics, warehousing, and import and distribution operations.

Additionally, there is a noticeable trend towards a higher concentration of retail within more formalized channels. The prevalence of stores in the turnover structure indicates that the performance of chain stores and major retail operators increasingly influences the dynamics of the entire consumer market. Consequently, the future direction of trade in the latter half of the year will largely hinge on household incomes, inflation rates, consumer lending, and import trends, as well as the potential recovery of the wholesale segment following its decline in the first half of the year.-0-