LONDON, June 5, 2009 Retail sales in the 16 countries that use the Euro rose in April for the first time since September last year, boosted by sales of food, drinks and tobacco, the European Union's statistics agency reported Thursday. The data show that some good weather in April likely boosted sales of food and beverages. Eurostat reported that sales of food, drinks and tobacco rose 1.1% in April from March the first monthly gain since September, and the largest rise since August 2005 when the sector rose 1.3%. Sales of nonfood items declined 0.2% on the month in April. Sales volumes in the currency area increased 0.2% from March and declined 2.3% from a year earlier. The data were mixed when compared with economists' expectations. In a survey last week by Dow Jones Newswires, economists estimated that sales rose by 0.2% from a month earlier, and declined 3.3% on a year-to-year basis. The data are more upbeat than in recent months and are in line with other signs that the worst of the recession in the euro zone could be over. The Purchasing Managers Indexes for manufacturing and services both improved again in May to seven-month highs. March retail-sales data were revised to show a fall of 0.1% month-to-month and a drop of 3.4% year- to-year. Eurostat originally reported sales fell by 0.6% from February and by 4.2% from a year earlier. In the breakdown of retail sales by country, Eurostat reported that sales in Germany rose 0.5% in April from May but fell 0.2% in Spain over the same period. No data were available from France or Italy but official French data last week reported a sharp 0.6% month-on-month rise in consumer spending in April from March. For the 27 members of the European Union, sales rose 0.5% on the month and fell 1.4% on the year. |
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