07.11.201705:06:00UTC+00Italy Retail Sales Rise More Than Expected In September

Italy's retail sales increased at a faster-than-expected pace in September, after falling in the previous two months, preliminary data from the statistical office Istat showed Tuesday.

Retail sales climbed 0.9 percent month-over-month in September, reversing a 0.2 percent drop in August. Economists had expected a 0.2 percent increase for the month.

Sales of food products grew 0.9 percent over the month and those of non-food goods went up by 1.0 percent.

On a yearly basis, retail sales recovered strongly by 3.4 percent in September, after a 0.1 percent slight fall in August. It was forecast to rise only by 0.5 percent.

Data also showed that the volume of retail sales increased 0.9 percent monthly and by 2.7 percent annually in September.