Eurozone retail sales rose above expectations in December
Eurozone retail sales rose 2% in December, beating forecast for 1.6% increase after dropping by 5.7% previous month.
Rebound above expectations was fueled by a Christmas shopping, particularly a surge in sales of clothes and shoes.
Retail sales were 0.6% higher, compared to December 2019, twice as much as forecasted and despite new lockdowns on surging Covid-19 infections.
Sales of shoes and clothes were up 12.4% in December following 30.5% fall in November that offset a 7% fall in electrical goods and furniture as well as smaller drop in computer equipment, pharmaceuticals and online shopping.
The biggest surge in retail sales was registered in France, where sales rose 22.3% from the previous month and 15.9% in Belgium that counters 9.6% drop in retail sales in Germany.
Sales in food, drinks and tobacco rose 5.6% in comparison to the same period in 2019, which partially compensate a strong fall in fuel sales amid travel bans in lockdowns.