Retail sales unexpectedly dip across Eurozone

(Sharecast News) - Eurozone retail sales unexpectedly ticked lower in September, official data showed on Thursday. According to Eurostat, the official statistical office of the European Union, the volume of retail trade fell by 0.1%. Consensus has been for a 0.2% uplift.

Across the wider EU, volumes were unchanged.

Driving the fall in the Eurozone was a 1.0% decline in automotive fuel in specialised stores. Non-food products excluding automotive fuel were 0.2% weaker, but food, drinks and tobacco were stable.

Among individual member states, retail sales ticked 0.2% higher in Germany, the bloc's biggest economy, helping to reverse August's 0.6% decline.

In Spain they rose 0.4%, but fell 0.1% in France and 0.6% in Italy.

Year-on-year, retail sales were 1.0% higher in the Eurozone, down on the 1.6% annual growth seen in August but in line with expectations.

In the EU as a whole, sales were 1.3% stronger year-on-year.