30.05.201903:53:00UTC+00Spain Inflation At Nearly 1-1/2-year Low; Retail Sales Growth Slows

Spain's consumer price inflation eased to the lowest level in nearly one-and-a-half years in May and retail sales grew less-than-expected in April, preliminary data from INE showed on Thursday.

The flash consumer price index rose 0.8 percent year-on-year in May, slower than a 1.5 percent climb in April. Economists had expected a 1.2 percent rise.

The latest inflation was the worst since January last year, when it was 0.6 percent.

On a monthly basis, consumer prices rose 0.2 percent in May. Economists had forecast a 0.4 percent rise.

The EU measure of Harmonized index consumer prices, or HICP, increased 0.9 percent annually in May. Economists had expected a 1.2 percent rise.

On a month-on-month basis, HICP edged up 0.2 percent in May. Economists had forecast 0.3 percent increase.

Separate data from INE showed that the retail sales climbed 1.1 percent in April, after a 1.4 percent rise in March. Economists expected the sales to increase 2.0 percent.

On a monthly basis, retail sales fell 0.4 percent in April, reversing a 0.3 percent rise in the previous month.