2018.09.0505:15:00UTC+00Eurozone Retail Sales Fall For First Time In 3 Months

Eurozone retail sales dropped for the first time in three months in July, Eurostat reported Wednesday.

Retail sales fell 0.2 percent month-on-month in July, in contrast to a 0.3 percent rise in June. This was the first fall since April, when sales were down 0.2 percent. Sales were expected to fall 0.1 percent.

Food, drinks and tobacco sales decreased 0.6 percent, while non-food product sales rose 0.4 percent. Sales of automotive fuel in specialized stores declined 0.7 percent in July.

On a yearly basis, retail sales growth eased to 1.1 percent from 1.5 percent in June. Economists had forecast a 1.3 percent rise.