Statistical processing

Source data

The statistics are compiled on the basis of a sample. For units in manufacturing, data are collected together with the survey on Production and turnover in manufacturing industry, while data from units in wholesale are collected through a separate survey.

The sample consists of approx. 250 units in manufacturing and 250 units in wholesale. The sample is stratified by size of stock and by activity. Information on size of stocks for selection of the sample comes from the statistics on industrial accounts.

For manufacturing, the strata are:

• stocks larger than 60 mill. DKK, all units are sampled
• stocks between 15 and 60 mill. DKK, a sample is drawn

The sample for manufacturing is a subset of the sample for the statistics Production and turnover in manufacturing.

For wholesale, the strata are:

• stocks larger than 40 mill. DKK, all units are sampled
• stocks between 15 and 40 mill. DKK, a sample is drawn

Frequency of data collection

Quarterly. However, data from units in manufacturing are collected monthly through the survey on Production and turnover in manufacturing industry.

Data collection

Data collection is conducted by means of electronic online survey forms at http://www.Virk.dk

Wholesale: Instructions for respondents (in Danish). Manufacturing: Instructions for respondents (in Danish).

Data validation

Data are validated through semi-automatic procedures, especially focusing on large changes in reported stocks.

Data compilation

Reported stocks by the end of each quarter from units in the sample are grossed up, through a direct estimate, to total stocks for each stratum. Based on this, change rates are calculated. From the Accounts Statistics, figures on stocks by the start of the year for the whole population are available. Through fixed-price calculations, stock changes are then calculated in fixed prices. Finally, the changes in fixed prices are inflated to have also changes in current prices.

Fixed price calculations are made using price indices specific to industries and types of goods, based on Producer price index for commodities and Price index for domestic supply.

Adjustment

Only four of the industry groups are seasonally adjusted: food, beverage and tobacco products, furniture and other industries, etc., wholesale of grain and feed and wholesale of textiles and household equipment. There are also seasonal fluctuations in some of the other industries, but they are not stable enough to be seasonally adjusted. For the same reason, seasonally adjusted figures for industry and wholesale are also not published.