In the UK, retail sales volumes was unchanged in March, falling short of the modest 0.3% mom growth anticipated by analysts. The performance within the retail sector was varied: automotive fuel and non-food store sales saw increases of 3.2% and 0.5%, respectively, which were offset by declines in food stores and non-store retailers, dropping by 0.7% and 1.5%.
On a quarterly basis, retail sales volumes rising 1.9% in the three months to March, a recovery attributed to the bounce back from particularly low sales volumes experienced during the Christmas shopping season.