2017.03.2305:45:00UTC+00UK Retail Sales Recover In February

UK retail sales increased for the first time in four months in February, the Office for National Statistics said Thursday.

The retail sales volume grew 1.4 percent month-on-month in February, reversing a 0.5 percent fall in January and bigger than the 0.4 percent expected increase.

Excluding auto fuel, retail sales volume climbed 1.3 percent in contrast to a 0.3 percent fall in January. Sales were expected to grow 0.3 percent.

On a yearly basis, retail sales volume growth accelerated to 3.7 percent from 1 percent in January. This was also faster than the expected 2.6 percent.

The annual growth in sales volume, excluding auto fuel, improved to 4.1 percent from 2.1 percent. Economists had forecast a 3.2 percent rise.