Eurozone Retail Sales Report Surprise Fall In April

Retail sales in the 15-country eurozone fell unexpectedly in April, the third straight month of lower sales.

Data from the Eurostat data agency
showed that retail sales fell 2.9% year-on-year during the month, and
edged lower 0.6% from March. The fall followed after weak sales in
March, when eurozone retail trade fell 0.9% month-on-month and 2.3%
year-on-year. Sales in Germany, the biggest market in the zone, fell
5.6% year-on-year and 1.7% from March during the month.
In the
27-nation EU, retail sales fell 0.4% month-on-month, and were down
0.8% year-on-year.