FX.co ★ Eurozone Retail Sales Rise 0.2% In August

In August, Eurozone retail sales rebounded, marking their first rise in three months, according to data released by Eurostat on Monday. Monthly retail sales grew by 0.2 percent, consistent with forecasts, following a stagnant performance in July.

Specifically, there was a 0.2 percent increase in sales of food, drinks, and tobacco, building on a modest 0.1 percent growth from the previous month. Non-food product sales also saw a significant upswing of 0.3 percent, heralding the first positive movement in this category for four months. Meanwhile, sales of automotive fuel in specialized stores surged by 1.1 percent, effectively counterbalancing a 0.6 percent decline in July.

On an annual basis, retail sales posted a recovery of 0.8 percent, reversing a 0.1 percent dip seen in July. Across the EU27, the retail sales volume climbed by 0.3 percent month-over-month and was up by 1.0 percent compared to the same period last year.

Notably, Luxembourg, Cyprus, and Romania experienced the most significant monthly growth in total retail trade volume. In contrast, Denmark, Slovakia, Bulgaria, and Croatia saw the most substantial declines.