According to Eurostat, in May, retail sales in the euro area dropped by 0.3% after their decline by 0.1% in April. For economists, this was a surprise, since their forecast suggested a growth rate of 0.3%. Compared to the same month last year, retail sales increased by 1.3%, slowing the rise against the growth of April by 1.8%. According to analysts, they were expected to grow by 1.6%. Sales of food products and tobacco products decreased by 0.5%. Non-food sales fell 1.3%. At the same time, purchases via the Internet grew by 2.3%. In the European Union countries, in May, retail sales decreased by 0.4% for the month and grew by 1.3% for the year. In May, the most significant drop was observed in Croatia - by 4.4%, while Portugal showed the most significant increase in retail sales, its figure increased by 1.5%.
Financial markets saw record heights earlier on Friday, with the Euro continuing its 21-month gain streak and gold prices hitting its highest level amid a weakened Dollar. The Euro soared above the Dollar by 1.7%, trading at $1.1616 for the ...
The reimplementation of virus-related lockdowns in some states dragged the U.S. economic outlook in the past month, according to economists in a Reuters poll who also warned that the monitored rebound in employment may reverse by the end of ...
Backed by record-low mortgage rates, U.S. home sales reached its strongest record in June. However, the outlook for the housing market remained murky as low inventory and high unemployment rate pressed amid the virus crisis. Existing home ...
Japan's industrial output is expected to recover in June from a double-digit decline in May amid hopes that factory activity may have reached its lowest due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to a Reuters’ poll of 13 economists. While ...
Australian retail sales advanced 2.4% in June. This came as an upbeat figure following a 16.5% increase seen in May as the land down under resumed its economic operations from coronavirus-related lockdowns. The country’s retail sales ...