THE city’s consumer market’s gross sales in the first quarter reached 52.88 billion yuan, increasing by 16.5 percent over the same period last year, the city’s commerce bureau said.

    The consumer market in urban areas developed fast in the first quarter and its gross sales reached 43.88 billion yuan, increasing by 17 percent and accounting for 83 percent of the city’s consumption, while gross sales in rural areas remained steadily at 9 billion yuan, increasing by 13.8 percent on the same period last year.(Wang Yuanyuan, Qingbao)