FX.co ★ Eurozone Retail Sales Inch Higher

Real retail sales in the Eurozone rose by 0.2% month-on-month in May 2026, recovering from a revised 0.3% decline in the previous period and coming in slightly below the consensus forecast of a 0.3% increase. Volumes increased for food, drinks, and tobacco (0.6% vs 0.8% in April) and edged higher for non-food products excluding fuel (0.1% vs -0.6%). By contrast, sales volumes of automotive fuel in specialized stores fell for a second consecutive month (-0.5% vs -3.6%), reflecting higher petrol and distilled fuel prices amid a war in the Middle East that has constrained global fuel supply. On an annual basis, retail sales volumes in the currency bloc were up 1.6%.