Investing.com – Retail sales in the euro zone fell unexpectedly in December, official data showed on Thursday.
In a report, Eurostat said retail sales fell by a seasonally adjusted 0.6% in December, after dropping by 0.3% in November, whose figure was revised from a decline of 0.8%.
Analysts had expected retail sales to rise by 0.6% in December.
The report showed that year-on-year, retail sales fell unexpectedly, slumping by 0.9% in December, after rising by 0.8% in November. Analysts had expected year-on-year retail sales to rise by 0.2% in December.
According to the data, the largest decreases in total retail trade were observed in Malta, Slovenia and Ireland, while the largest increases were observed in Portugal and Poland.
Following the release of that data, the euro was down against the U.S. dollar, with EUR/USD shedding 0.15% to hit 1.3787.
Meanwhile, European stock markets were mixed. The EURO STOXX 50 fell 0.41%, France’s CAC 40 dropped 0.99%, Germany's DAX was up 0.11%, while the FTSE 100 dipped 0.18%.
In a report, Eurostat said retail sales fell by a seasonally adjusted 0.6% in December, after dropping by 0.3% in November, whose figure was revised from a decline of 0.8%.
Analysts had expected retail sales to rise by 0.6% in December.
The report showed that year-on-year, retail sales fell unexpectedly, slumping by 0.9% in December, after rising by 0.8% in November. Analysts had expected year-on-year retail sales to rise by 0.2% in December.
According to the data, the largest decreases in total retail trade were observed in Malta, Slovenia and Ireland, while the largest increases were observed in Portugal and Poland.
Following the release of that data, the euro was down against the U.S. dollar, with EUR/USD shedding 0.15% to hit 1.3787.
Meanwhile, European stock markets were mixed. The EURO STOXX 50 fell 0.41%, France’s CAC 40 dropped 0.99%, Germany's DAX was up 0.11%, while the FTSE 100 dipped 0.18%.