The total number of liquidations recorded for June 2010 increased by 21.9 percent (from 311 to 379) compared with June 2009, Statistics SA said on Monday.

The total number of liquidations recorded for the first six months of 2010 increased by 5.8 percent (from 1951 to 2065) compared with the first six months of 2009, the Pretoria-based agency said.

This 5.8 percent increase was due to an increase of 10.5 percent in voluntary liquidations (from 1774 to 1961).

During this period there were increases of 0.6 percent in close corporation liquidations (from 1052 to 1058) and 12.0 percent in company liquidations (from 899 to 1007).

The highest numbers of liquidations during the first six months of 2010 were related to businesses in the financing, insurance, real estate and business services industry (953 cases or 46.2 percent of liquidations) and the wholesale and retail trade, catering and accommodation industry (584 cases or 28.3 percent of liquidations), Statistics SA said.

The estimated number of insolvencies for May 2010 decreased by 26.8 percent (from 542 to 397) compared with May 2009.

The total number of insolvencies for the first five months of 2010 decreased by 24.0 percent (from 2049 to 1558) compared with the first five months of 2009.