Official figures indicate that the value of Brazilian retail sales was 2.3 percent greater last year than the year before, rising for the second year in a row to its highest for five years, Xinhua reports – without saying what the value was.

The Chinese government-run news agency, citing data compiled by the Brazilian statistics agency, says the annual value of retail sales rose in three of the eight main categories of goods sold.

The report says the value of retail sales of personal and household products rose by 7.6 percent; that of pharmaceutical, medical and orthopaedic goods, and of perfumes and cosmetics rose by 5.9 percent; and that of food, drink and tobacco rose by 3.8 percent.

But the report fails to give the value of retail sales in any category.

Unidentified financial analysts estimate that the Brazilian economy grew by 1.25 percent last year, and forecast that it will grow by 2.5 percent this year, Xinhua says.