Table 3. Number of private sector establishments by direction of employment change, annual March to March Retail trade (In thousands) Establishments gaining jobs Establishments losing jobs Year ended Net change(1) Total Expanding Opening Total Contracting Closing establishments establishments establishments establishments March 1994 -2 389 293 96 358 260 98 March 1995 3 398 299 99 358 262 96 March 1996 -3 385 288 97 375 275 100 March 1997 1 397 297 100 368 269 99 March 1998 -8 384 289 95 382 279 103 March 1999 -1 397 299 98 369 270 99 March 2000 -3 397 300 97 374 274 100 March 2001 -10 372 283 89 390 291 99 March 2002 -10 353 264 89 401 302 99 March 2003 -3 352 263 89 386 294 92 March 2004 -3 364 278 86 364 275 89 March 2005 -3 363 275 88 372 281 91 March 2006 -1 371 281 90 374 283 91 March 2007 -3 367 279 88 378 287 91 March 2008 -6 352 269 83 389 300 89 March 2009 -27 294 219 75 449 347 102 March 2010 -17 319 247 72 381 292 89 March 2011 -2 347 272 75 339 262 77 March 2012 0 357 280 77 335 258 77 March 2013 0 354 279 75 339 264 75 March 2014 -3 361 290 71 333 259 74 March 2015 -4 364 293 71 338 263 75 March 2016 -3 365 294 71 342 268 74 March 2017 -6 347 278 69 364 289 75 March 2018 -9 346 277 69 367 289 78 March 2019 -9 340 271 69 369 291 78 March 2020 -20 330 263 67 381 294 87 March 2021 -7 341 265 76 400 317 83 March 2022 12 399 319 80 318 250 68 March 2023 -3 353 282 71 355 281 74 (1) Net change is the difference between the number of opening establishments and the number of closing establishments.