The value of Christmas sales in Brazil grew to 37 billion reais (about US$9.1 billion) this year, 9.5 percent more than last year and the most since 2014, Xinhua reports.

The Chinese government-run news agency cites figures compiled by the association of operators of shopping centres in Brazil, Alshop, which had been expecting slower growth, around 6.5 percent.

The report attributed the growth in Christmas sales in part to more Brazilians having jobs, access to a deposit for workers, and to lower interest rates.

Clothes, toys and cosmetics were the best sellers, the report quotes Alshop President Nabil Sahyoun as saying. He expects the positive trend to continue.,

Alshop forecasts that the annual revenue of retailers in Brazilian shopping centres will be 168.2 billion reais this year, 7.5 percent more than last year, Xinhua says.